uld
cast his nets on the morrow--instructions which he always obeyed,
and which invariably brought him success.

One night the young fisherman was seen going towards the river,
but as he never returned search was made for him. No clue to his
whereabouts being found, the credulous Teutons finally reported that
the Lorelei had dragged him down to her coral caves that she might
enjoy his companionship for ever.

According to another version, the Lorelei, with her entrancing
strains from the craggy rocks, lured so many fishermen to a grave in
the depths of Rhine, that an armed force was once sent at nightfall
to surround and seize her. But the water nymph laid such a powerful
spell upon the captain and his men that they could move neither hand
nor foot. While they stood motionless around her, the Lorelei divested
herself of her ornaments, and cast them into the waves below; then,
chanting a spell, she lured the waters to the top of the crag upon
which she was perched, and to the wonder of the soldiers the waves
enclosed a sea-green chariot drawn by white-maned steeds, and the
nymph sprang lightly into this and the magic equipage was instantly
lost to view. A few moments later the Rhine subsided to its usual
level, the spell was broken, and the men recovered power of motion,
and retreated to tell how their efforts had been baffled. Since then,
however, the Lorelei has not been seen, and the peasants declare that
she still resents the insult offered her and will never again leave
her coral caves.

CHAPTER XXI: BALDER

The Best Loved

To Odin and Frigga, we are told, were born twin sons as dissimilar
in character and physical appearance as it was possible for two
children to be. Hodur, god of darkness, was sombre, taciturn, and
blind, like the obscurity of sin, which he was supposed to symbolise,
while his brother Balder, the beautiful, was worshipped as the pure
and radiant god of innocence and light. From his snowy brow and golden
locks seemed to radiate beams of sunshine which gladdened the hearts
of gods and men, by whom he was equally beloved.

"Of all the twelve round Odin's throne,
Balder, the Beautiful, alone,
The Sun-god, good, and pure, and bright,
Was loved by all, as all love light."

Valhalla (J. C. Jones).

The youthful Balder attained his full growth with marvellous rapidity,
and was early admitted to the council of the gods. He took up his
abode in the pa