The Goddess Frigg and the Story of Mistletoe

I’m sure all of us have heard the story that the person that you kiss under the mistletoe will be the one that you spend the rest of your life with.  There are so many legends and stories associated with Mistletoe.  If you dig a little you will find that it’s an ancient plant that has influenced many places of the world for since ancient times.  

One legend says that Mistletoe is the Sacred Plant of the Goddess Frigga, Goddess of love and the Mother of Balder who is the god of the Summer Sun.  Her son had a dream that he was going to die and he was concerned as his death would mean the death of all life on Earth for he is the god of the Summer Sun and without that Sun life could not exist.  His Mother knew how serious this was and immediately went to every plant and animal as well as all the elements looking for a promise that her son would always be safe for their lives depended upon it.  However she had overlooked one plant that didn’t grow on the Earth or under the Earth but rather was dependent upon other life like trees for it’s existence, the Mistletoe.  Did you know that Mistletoe is considered a parasitic plant as it grows only on hosts like the mighty Oak tree?

It is said that Loki is the one who intended to kill Balder and he knew that when Frigga received the promises from all the plants and animals that she missed the Mistletoe as it grew upon the Oak.  Loki made a dart out of the Mistletoe knowing that it could kill Balder.  At a party of the Gods everyone was having fun throwing things at Balder because he was immune to everything.  Hodor who was the God of Winter and Balder’s twin brother, was sad that he wasn’t able to participate because he was blind.  The mischievous Loki told him he would help him and gave him the mistletoe dart to use and actually pointed him towards his brother Balder.  When Hodor fired the dart with the help of Loki, he killed his brother as the Mistletoe was the only plant that could kill him. When this happened the Sun went dim and the sky became pale bringing a great cold to the Earth. For days the plants and animals wept for him and the elements tried to bring him back to life.  The Goddess Frigga wept over her son.  It is said that her tears are what finally brought him back to life and all of her tears turned into the beautiful white berries that you see upon the Mistletoe.  Frigga was so happy to have her son back that she would kiss anyone who passed below the Mistletoe plant that grew upon the Oak Tree.

There was a promise made that day that who should ever stand under the humble mistletoe, no harm should befall them, only a kiss, a token of love.

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong