ht not ask the
meaning of it from the ones who knew him.

He changed his shape into that of an old woman and he went amongst those
who were making sport for Baldur. He spoke to Dwarfs and friendly
Giants. "Go to Frigga and ask. Go to Frigga and ask," was all the answer
Loki got from any of them.

Then to Fensalir, Frigga's mansion, Loki went. He told those in the
mansion that he was Groa, the old Enchantress who was drawing out of
Thor's head the fragments of a grindstone that a Giant's throw had
embedded in it. Frigga knew about Groa and she praised the Enchantress
for what she had done.

"Many fragments of the great grindstone have I taken out of Thor's head
by the charms I know," said the pretended Groa. "Thor was so grateful
that he brought back to me the husband that he once had carried off to
the end of the earth. So overjoyed was I to find my husband restored
that I forgot the rest of the charms. And I left some fragments of the
stone in Thor's head."

So Loki said, repeating a story that was true. "Now I remember the rest
of the charm," he said, "and I can draw out the fragments of the stone
that are left. But will you not tell me, O Queen, what is the meaning of
the extraordinary things I saw the AEsir and the Vanir doing?"

"I will tell you," said Frigga, looking kindly and happily at the
pretended old woman. "They are hurling all manner of heavy and dangerous
things at Baldur, my beloved son. And all Asgard cheers to see that
neither metal nor stone nor great wood will hurt him."

"But why will they not hurt him?" said the pretended Enchantress.

"Because I have drawn an oath from all dangerous and threatening things
to leave Baldur hurtless," said Frigga.

"From all things, lady? Is there no thing in all the world that has not
taken an oath to leave Baldur hurtless?"

"Well, indeed, there is one thing that has not taken the oath. But that
thing is so small and weak that I passed it by without taking thought of
it."

"What can it be, lady?"

"The Mistletoe that is without root or strength. It grows on the eastern
side of Valhalla. I passed it by without drawing an oath from it."

"Surely you were not wrong to pass it by. What could the Mistletoe--the
rootless Mistletoe--do against Baldur?"

Saying this the pretended Enchantress hobbled off.

But not far did the pretender go hobbling. He changed his gait and
hurried to the eastern side of Valhalla. There a great oak tree
flourished and out of