Prose Edda Hel (being)

a depiction of young hel (center) being led assignment of realm, while brother fenrir led forward (left) , jörmungandr (right) cast odin (1906) lorenz frølich.



hermod before hela (1909) john charles dollman.



children of loki (1920) willy pogany.



loki s brood (1905) emil doepler.

hel referred in prose edda, written in 13th century snorri sturluson. in chapter 34 of book gylfaginning, hel listed high 1 of 3 children of loki , angrboða: wolf fenrir, serpent jörmungandr, , hel. high continues that, once gods found these 3 children being brought in land of jötunheimr, , when gods traced prophecies these siblings great mischief , disaster arise them gods expected lot of trouble 3 children, partially due nature of mother of children, yet worse due nature of father.

high says odin sent gods gather children , bring them him. upon arrival, odin threw jörmungandr deep sea lies round lands, odin threw hel niflheim, , bestowed upon authority on 9 worlds, in must administer board , lodging sent her, , die of sickness or old age. high details in realm hel has great mansions extremely high walls , immense gates, hall called Éljúðnir, dish called hunger, knife called famine, servant ganglati (old norse lazy walker ), serving-maid ganglöt (also lazy walker ), entrance threshold stumbling-block, bed sick-bed, , curtains gleaming-bale. high describes hel half black , half flesh-coloured, adding makes recognizable, , furthermore hel rather downcast , fierce-looking.

in chapter 49, high describes events surrounding death of god baldr. goddess frigg asks among Æsir earn love , favour riding hel, location, try find baldr, , offer hel herself ransom. god hermóðr volunteers , sets off upon eight-legged horse sleipnir hel. hermóðr arrives in hel s hall, finds brother baldr there, , stays night. next morning, hermóðr begs hel allow baldr ride home him, , tells great weeping Æsir have done upon baldr s death. hel says love people have baldr hermóðr has claimed must tested, stating:

if things in world, alive or dead, weep him, allowed return Æsir. if speaks against him or refuses cry, remain hel.

later in chapter, after female jötunn Þökk refuses weep dead baldr, responds in verse, ending let hel hold has. in chapter 51, high describes events of ragnarök, , details when loki arrives @ field vígríðr of hel s people arrive him.

in chapter 5 of prose edda book skáldskaparmál, hel mentioned in kenning baldr ( hel s companion ). in chapter 16, hel s [...] relative or father given kenning loki. in chapter 50, hel referenced ( join company of quite monstrous wolf s sister ) in skaldic poem ragnarsdrápa.