In ancient times, Frigga, goddess of beauty, love and marriage, sat working at her loom toward the end of the winter solstice. This particular solstice was special, for it was when she gave birth to her most beloved child, Baldur.

Frigga's special talent was that she could divine the fates of men and gods.

One day Frigga discovered her son was going to die young. Frantic, she made everyone and everything promise that they would not harm Baldur.

"We will spare him," they all promised.

The gods sought amusement by hurling darts and stones and rocks at Baldur, but he always walked away unharmed.

Now Loki, the mischievous god, began to tremble with jealousy. "Why should Baldur be so fortunate?" he asked. "Surely something can hurt him."

Determined to find out, Loki disguised himself as a young woman and went to see Frigga. i5≈∧ㄩｗWＷ.FａｉＲy-ｔａＬＥ．INｆOヮù

"Good day," Frigga greeted the woman.

"Good day," said Loki, in disguise, as he bowed to the goddess. "I worry for your son's safety. The gods throw sticks and stones at him. "

Frigga waved her hand. "I fear nothing," she answered, "for I have made everyone and everything swear they will never hurt Baldur."

"Everyone? Everything? How is that possible?" Loki asked.

The goddess smiled. "I traveled everywhere, and everyone and everything promised, except for one little plant growing far, far away."

Once Loki heard this, he departed. He raced to find the plant Frigga had described.

"This," he said, seeing the mistletoe growing upon a tree. He cut a branch and returned with it to the sacred playing fields.

Loki cast the branch at Baldur. The instant it hit Baldur, he fell to the ground, dead.

Everyone and everything began to weep and to wail.

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Frigga sat by her son's side and wept. Her tears turned into the white berries that grow upon the mistletoe. When Frigga placed these berries upon Baldur's breast, he came to life again.

And so, Frigga praised the mistletoe as a symbol of love and of peace, and she promised that, forever afterward, whoever stood beneath this plant would be offered a kiss and forever protected.