Baldr is troubled by evil dreams. Frigg takes oaths from all things not to harm him, but overlooks the mistletoe. The gods amuse themselves throwing and shooting at Baldr, who is invulnerable. Loki disguises himself and questions Frigg. He cuts a mistletoe branch, goes to the blind Höðr and guides his hand. The mistletoe strikes Baldr and he falls dead.
Baldr inn góði hafði drauma stóra ok váliga um líf sitt. Þá sagði hann ásunum draumana. Þá réð Frigg eiða af öllum hlutum, vatni ok jarðar, steinum ok trjám, at þeir særu eigi Baldri, en talð var mistilteinn of lítill til þess at vinna.
The good Baldr had great and dire dreams about his life. He told the gods about them. Frigg then took oaths from all things, water and earth, stones and trees, that they would not harm Baldr, but the mistletoe was overlooked as too small to be considered.
Þá var þat skemmtan Ásanna at skjóta á Baldri ok höggva til ok kasta. En Loki gekk til Friggjar í kvenligri líkingu ok fann hvar misilteininn óx. Hann skeri mistiltein ok fór til þings. Höðr stóð úti frá þinginu, því at hann var blindr. Loki gaf honum mistilteininn ok leiddi hönd hans.
It became the gods' amusement to shoot at Baldr, strike at him and throw things. But Loki went to Frigg in a woman's guise and learned where the mistletoe grew. He cut the mistletoe and went to the assembly. Höðr stood apart from the assembly, for he was blind. Loki gave him the mistletoe and guided his hand.
Misilteininn flaug í gegnum Baldri, ok fell hann dauðr til jarðar. Þat var hit mesta óhapp er meðal Ása ok manna hefir orðit.
The mistletoe flew straight through Baldr and he fell dead to the ground. That was the greatest misfortune that had ever befallen gods and men.
Eddic quotations
Sá ek Baldri, blóðgum tívur, / Óðins barni, örlög fólginn; / stóð um vaxinn, völlum hœri, / mjór ok mjök fagr, mistilteinn.
I saw for Baldr, the blood-stained god, Odin's child, fate concealed; it stood grown up, taller than the fields, slender and very fair, the mistletoe.