Baldrs draumar (“Balder’s Dreams”) does not appear in the Codex Regius manuscript, but it does appear in the manuscript AM 748 I 4to alongside several poems that do occur in the Codex Regius (such as Harbarthsljoth and Hymiskvitha). It is also clearly linked with the Poetic Edda by its form and content. As in Voluspa, Odin awakens a dead witch and asks her for information—in this case, the meaning of the worrisome dreams that his son Balder is having about his own death.
ONCE ALL THE GODS met for a conference, all the goddesses met for a conference, and the mighty gods talked about why Balder was having bad dreams.
Odin stood up, that father of gods, and he saddled his horse Sleipnir. Then he rode down to Hel, till he saw the dog of Hel.
The dog had a bloody chest and barked a long time as Odin passed. Odin rode on, the stones of the road rattled, till he came to the high house of Hel.
Then Odin rode east of the door to Hel, and there he found the grave of a witch, and then the battle-god spoke a spell, till her corpse was forced to rise, and spoke:
“Who is this man, unknown to me, who has brought me back to loathsome life? I was buried in snow, pelted by rain, drowned in dew, I was dead a long time.”
Odin said:
“I am the Road-tamer, son of Corpse-tamer. Tell me news from Hel, and I’ll tell you news from above. Whose arrival are these benches draped with straw for? Why is the floor all covered in gold?”
The witch said:
“The mead is brewed for Balder’s arrival, a shield is placed over the fresh brew. All the gods are in suspense. I was forced to speak, now I return to silence.”
Odin said:
“Don’t go silent, witch! I want to ask you more, till I understand everything, and I want to know more. Who will be the killer of my son Balder? Who will steal the life of Odin’s son?”
The witch said:
“Hoth will bear the long spear that will kill him, he will be the killer of your son Balder, he will steal the life of Odin’s son. I was forced to speak, now I return to silence.”
Odin said:
“Don’t go silent, witch! I want to ask you more, till I understand everything, and I want to know more. Who will avenge Hoth’s crime? Who will put Balder’s killer on the funeral pyre?”
The witch said:
“In halls to the west Rind will give birth to your son Vali; he will avenge Balder when he is only one night old. He will neither comb his hair nor wash his hands till he puts Balder’s killer on the funeral pyre. I was forced to speak, now I return to silence.”
Odin said:
“Don’t go silent, witch! I want to ask you more, till I understand everything, and I want to know more. Who are the women who weep in longing, who throw their necklaces up into the sky?”
The witch said:
“You are not Road-tamer, like I thought you were— no, you are Odin, the aged god.”
Odin said:
“You are neither a witch, nor a wise woman— no, you are the mother of three monsters.”
The witch said:
“Ride home, Odin! Feel triumphant, for now. But you will come for a second visit when Loki breaks free from his chains, and Ragnarok comes to end everything.”