The pale maid who guards the bridge spoke to him.

"The hue of life is still on thee," said Modgudur, the pale maid. "Why
dost thou journey down to Hela's deathly realm?"

"I am Hermod," he said, "and I go to see if Hela will take ransom for
Baldur."

"Fearful is Hela's habitation for one to come to," said Modgudur, the
pale maid. "All round it is a steep wall that even thy steed might
hardly leap. Its threshold is Precipice. The bed therein is Care, the
table is Hunger, the hanging of the chamber is Burning Anguish."

"It may be that Hela will take ransom for Baldur."

"If all things in the world still lament for Baldur, Hela will have to
take ransom and let him go from her," said Modgudur, the pale maid that
guards the glittering bridge.

"It is well, then, for all things lament Baldur. I will go to her and
make her take ransom."

"Thou mayst not pass until it is of a surety that all things still
lament him. Go back to the world and make sure. If thou dost come to
this glittering bridge and tell me that all things still lament Baldur,
I will let thee pass and Hela will have to hearken to thee."

"I will come back to thee, and thou, Modgudur, pale maid, wilt have to
let me pass."

"Then I will let thee pass," said Modgudur.

Joyously Hermod turned Sleipner and rode back through the rugged glens,
each one less gloomy than the other. He reached the upper world, and
saw that all things were still lamenting for Baldur. Joyously Hermod
rode onward. He met the Vanir in the middle of the world and he told
them the happy tidings.

Then Hermod and the Vanir went through the world seeking out each thing
and finding that each thing still wept for Baldur. But one day Hermod
came upon a crow that was sitting on the dead branch of a tree. The crow
made no lament as he came near. She rose up and flew away and Hermod
followed her to make sure that she lamented for Baldur.

He lost sight of her near a cave. And then before the cave he saw a hag
with blackened teeth who raised no voice of lament. "If thou art the
crow that came flying here, make lament for Baldur," Hermod said.

"I, Thaukt, will make no lament for Baldur," the hag said, "let Hela
keep what she holds."

"All things weep tears for Baldur," Hermod said.

"I will weep dry tears for him," said the hag.

She hobbled into her cave, and as Hermod followed a crow fluttered out.
He knew that this was Thaukt, the evil hag, transformed. He followed
her, and she