SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
But much must still be tried, which shall but fail/' 130
And the blind Hoder answer'd her and said:—
44 What way is this, O mother, that thou show'st?
Is it a matter which a God might try?"
And straight the mother of Gods replied:—
* "There is a road which leads to Hela's realm, 135
Untrodden, lonely, far from light and Heaven.
Who goes that way must take no other horse
To ride, but Sleipner, Odin's horse, alone.
Nor must he choose that common path of Gods
Which every day they come and go in Heaven, 140
O'er the bridge Bifrost, where is Heimdall's watch.
Past Midgard fortress, down to earth and men.
But he must tread a dark untravell'd road
Which branches from the north of Heaven, and ride
Nine days, nine nights, toward the northern ice, 145
Through valleys deep-engulph'd, with roaring streams.
And he will reach on the tenth morn a bridge
Which spans with golden arches Giall's stream,
Not Bifrost, but that bridge a Damsel keeps,
Who tells the passing troops of dead their way 150
To the low shore of ghosts, and Hela's realm.
And she will bid him northward steer his course.
Then he will journey through no lighted land,
Nor see the sun arise, nor see it set;
But he must ever watch the northern Bear, 155
Who from her frozen height with jealous eye
Confronts the Dog and Hunter in the south,
And is alone not dipt in Ocean's stream.
And straight he will come down to Ocean's strand—
Ocean, whose watery ring enfolds the world, 160
And on whose marge the ancient giants dwell,
But he will reach its unknown northern shore,
Far, far beyond the outmost giant's home,
259 17*