齐谐志怪者也

qx-0051 · 北欧

巴尔德之死

万物都起过誓,只漏掉一株树苗

编号
qx-0051
文化圈
北欧
年代
约1220
原文核校
已校
篇幅
约 23 分钟
槲寄生盲神誓约替死洛基受缚

原文影录

原文已校

照录公版文本,不改一字。异体字与阙文一仍其旧。

出 散文埃达 · 《散文埃达·欺骗古鲁菲》(Brodeur 1916 英译) · 译者 Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur(1916) · 核校出处

底本为 Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur 1916 年英译《散文埃达·欺骗古鲁菲》第四十九至五十节(Gylfaginning XLIX—L),照录原译文,仅略去原书随文标注的注号;删节处用 …… 标示。

XLIX. Then spake Gangleri: "Have any more matters of note befallen among the Æsir? A very great deed of valor did Thor achieve on that journey." Hárr made answer: "Now shall be told of those tidings which seemed of more consequence to the Æsir. The beginning of the story is this, that Baldr the Good dreamed great and perilous dreams touching his life. When he told these dreams to the Æsir, then they took counsel together: and this was their decision: to ask safety for Baldr from all kinds of dangers. And Frigg took oaths to this purport, that fire and water should spare Baldr, likewise iron and metal of all kinds, stones, earth, trees, sicknesses, beasts, birds, venom, serpents. And when that was done and made known, then it was a diversion of Baldr's and the Æsir, that he should stand up in the Thing, and all the others should some shoot at him, some hew at him, some beat him with stones; but whatsoever was done hurt him not at all, and that seemed to them all a very worshipful thing.

"But when Loki Laufeyarson saw this, it pleased him ill that Baldr took no hurt. He went to Fensalir to Frigg, and made himself into the likeness of a woman. Then Frigg asked if that woman knew what the Æsir did at the Thing. She said that all were shooting at Baldr, and moreover, that he took no hurt. Then said Frigg: 'Neither weapons nor trees may hurt Baldr: I have taken oaths of them all.' Then the woman asked: 'Have all things taken oaths to spare Baldr?' and Frigg answered: 'There grows a tree-sprout alone westward of Valhall: it is called Mistletoe; I thought it too young to ask the oath of.' Then straightway the woman turned away; but Loki took Mistletoe and pulled it up and went to the Thing.

"Hödr stood outside the ring of men, because he was blind. Then spake Loki to him: 'Why dost thou not shoot at Baldr?' He answered: 'Because I see not where Baldr is; and for this also, that I am weaponless.' Then said Loki: 'Do thou also after the manner of other men, and show Baldr honor as the other men do. I will direct thee where he stands; shoot at him with this wand.' Hödr took Mistletoe and shot at Baldr, being guided by Loki: the shaft flew through Baldr, and he fell dead to the earth; and that was the greatest mischance that has ever befallen among gods and men.

…… Then was the body of Baldr borne out on shipboard; and when his wife, Nanna the daughter of Nep, saw that, straightway her heart burst with grief, and she died; she was borne to the pyre, and fire was kindled. Then Thor stood by and hallowed the pyre with Mjöllnir; and before his feet ran a certain dwarf which was named Litr; Thor kicked at him with his foot and thrust him into the fire, and he burned. ……

"Then Hermódr rode his way back, and came into Ásgard, and told all those tidings which he had seen and heard. Thereupon the Æsir sent over all the world messengers to pray that Baldr be wept out of Hel; and all men did this, and quick things, and the earth, and stones, and trees, and all metals,—even as thou must have seen that these things weep when they come out of frost and into the heat. Then, when the messengers went home, having well wrought their errand, they found, in a certain cave, where a giantess sat: she called herself Thökk. They prayed her to weep Baldr out of Hel; she answered:

Thökk will weep

waterless tears

For Baldr's bale-fare;

Living or dead,

I loved not the churl's son;

Let Hel hold to that she hath!

And men deem that she who was there was Loki Laufeyarson, who hath wrought most ill among the Æsir."

L. Then said Gangleri: "Exceeding much Loki had brought to pass, when he had first been cause that Baldr was slain, and then that he was not redeemed out of Hel. Was any vengeance taken on him for this?" Hárr answered: "This thing was repaid him in such wise that he shall remember it long. When the gods had become as wroth with him as was to be looked for, he ran off and hid himself in a certain mountain; there he made a house with four doors, so that he could see out of the house in all directions. ……

…… "Now Loki was taken truceless, and was brought with them into a certain cave. Thereupon they took three flat stones, and set them on edge and drilled a hole in each stone. Then were taken Loki's sons, Vili and Nari or Narfi; the Æsir changed Váli into the form of a wolf, and he tore asunder Narfi his brother. And the Æsir took his entrails and bound Loki with them over the three stones: one stands under his shoulders, the second under his loins, the third under his boughs; and those bonds were turned to iron. Then Skadi took a venomous serpent and fastened it up over him, so that the venom should drip from the serpent into his face. But Sigyn, his wife, stands near him and holds a basin under the venom-drops; and when the basin is full, she goes and pours out the venom, but in the meantime the venom drips into his face. Then he writhes against it with such force that all the earth trembles: ye call that 'earthquakes.' There he lies in bonds till the Weird of the Gods."

白话直译

逐句对应的现代汉语直译,力求不增益、不修饰。

(第四十九节开头。)甘格勒里(Gangleri,即化名求问的国王古鲁菲)说:「诸神中间还发生过别的值得一记的事吗?托尔在那趟旅程里立了一件大功。」高者(Hárr)答道:「现在要讲的是诸神看来更要紧的那件事。故事的开头是这样:善者巴尔德(Baldr the Good)做了些又凶又险的梦,梦是关于他自己性命的。他把这些梦说给诸神听,诸神就一起商议,议定的办法是:替巴尔德向一切种类的危险求一份平安。弗丽格(Frigg)便照这个意思取了誓:火与水要放过巴尔德,铁和一切金属也一样,石头、泥土、树木、各种病症、走兽、飞鸟、毒物、蛇类,都要放过他。誓取齐了,事情也传开了;于是巴尔德和诸神多了一种消遣:他站到集会上,其余的人有的朝他射,有的朝他砍,有的拿石头砸他;可是无论怎么弄,他都毫发无伤,这在所有人看来都是一件极可敬畏的事。

「洛基·劳菲之子(Loki Laufeyarson)看见这个,见巴尔德不受伤,心里不快。他到芬萨利尔(Fensalir)去找弗丽格,把自己变成一个女人的模样。弗丽格问那女人:知不知道诸神在集会上做什么?她说,大家都在朝巴尔德射,而且他一点事也没有。弗丽格便说:『武器和树木都伤不了巴尔德:它们的誓我都取过了。』那女人又问:『万物都起过誓,要放过巴尔德了吗?』弗丽格答道:『瓦尔哈拉(Valhall)西边单独长着一株树苗,叫槲寄生(Mistletoe);我想它太嫩了,就没有向它取誓。』那女人当即转身走了;洛基却把槲寄生拔了起来,带到集会上。

「霍德尔(Hödr)站在人圈以外,因为他是盲的。洛基便对他说:『你为什么不像别人那样朝巴尔德射?』他答道:『因为我看不见巴尔德在哪里;再说,我也没有武器。』洛基说:『你也照别人的样子做,像他们那样给巴尔德一份敬重。我指给你他站的地方,你用这根枝条射他。』霍德尔接过槲寄生,由洛基引着朝巴尔德射去:那枝子穿透了巴尔德,他倒下死了;那是诸神与人之间发生过的最大的不幸。

(此处删节:巴尔德倒下后众神言语尽失、奥丁承受最重的一段,以及诸神为尸体与葬船所做的准备。)

「随后巴尔德的身体被抬上了船;他的妻子南娜(Nanna,涅普之女)看见,心当即迸裂而死;她也被抬上火堆,火点了起来。托尔站在一旁,用雷锤(Mjöllnir)把火堆祝圣;他脚前跑过一个矮人,名叫利特尔(Litr);托尔抬脚把他踢进火里,他就烧掉了。

(此处删节:前来参加火葬的各族人物,奥丁放在火堆上的戒指德劳普尼尔(Draupnir),以及巴尔德那匹被牵上火堆的马。)

「……到了早晨,赫尔莫德(Hermódr)求赫尔(Hel)让巴尔德跟他一起回去,并把诸神那边哭得多么厉害说给她听。赫尔说,这件事要这么验一验,看巴尔德是不是真像大家说的那样被所有人爱着:『如果世上万物,活的与死的,都为他哭,他就回诸神这边去;但只要有一个反对,或有一个不肯哭,他就留在赫尔这里。』

「随后赫尔莫德骑马回去,回到阿斯加德(Ásgard),把他看见、听见的事都说了。于是诸神派使者走遍全世界,求万物把巴尔德哭出冥界;人都这么做了,活物也做了,大地、石头、树木,还有一切金属都做了——就像你一定见过的那样:这些东西从霜里出来、遇热的时候,也会出水。使者们办完事往回走的时候,在一个洞里发现坐着一个女巨人,她自称特克(Thökk)。他们请她把巴尔德哭出冥界;她答道:

特克只哭/没有水的眼泪/为巴尔德的死;/活的我没爱过/那个村夫的儿子,/死的我也不爱;/赫尔就留住她已经拿到的人吧!

「人们认定,当时待在那里的就是洛基·劳菲之子——他在诸神中间干下的坏事最多。」

(第五十节。)甘格勒里说:「洛基闹出的动静可真不小:先是他害得巴尔德被杀,接着又害得巴尔德没能从赫尔那里赎回来。他为此受了什么报复没有?」高者答道:「这件事替他这样还了账,账他会长久记得。诸神对他发了该发的火气,他就逃走了,躲进一座山里;他在那里盖了一所房子,开了四扇门,好从屋里看见四面八方。……

(此处删节:洛基白天化作鲑鱼躲在瀑布里、夜里结网,以及诸神照着烧剩的网痕编网、在瀑布里把他捉住的一段。)

「……『现在洛基被捉住了,不给他任何和解的余地,被他们带进一个洞里。于是他们取来三块扁石,立起来,每块石头上钻一个孔。随后把洛基的两个儿子,维利(Vili)和纳里(Nari)、又叫纳尔菲(Narfi)的,捉了来;诸神把瓦利(Váli)变成狼的形状,他撕开了自己的兄弟纳尔菲。诸神拿他的肠子把洛基绑在那三块石头上:一块垫在他肩下,第二块垫在他腰下,第三块垫在他腿弯下;那些绑索变成了铁。然后斯卡蒂(Skadi)取来一条毒蛇,固定在洛基头上,让毒液从蛇身上滴到他脸上。他的妻子西格恩(Sigyn)站在他旁边,拿一个盆在毒液底下接着;盆接满了,她就去把毒液倒掉,可是在这段时间里,毒液滴到了他脸上。他为了对抗它就那样用力扭动,整个大地都发抖:你们把这叫作「地震」。他就这样躺在绑索里,直到诸神的劫数。」

AI 重述

以原文为骨架的文学重述。情节与结局依原典,仅语言与叙事视角重写。

巴尔德做了梦。梦里有什么东西朝他过来,他看不清,只知道那东西伤得了他。

他把梦说给诸神听。诸神商议之后决定:替他向一切危险求一份平安。弗丽格出面,让火与水、铁与一切金属、石头、泥土、树木、病症、走兽、飞鸟、毒物和蛇起誓。誓取齐了,事情传开,集会上便多了一种消遣:众神把这个人摆在场中,朝他射,朝他砍,拿石头砸。他都毫发无伤——这在他们看来是极可敬畏的一件事。

洛基看见了,心里不快。

他去了芬萨利尔,把自己变成女人的样子。弗丽格问那女人:集会上众神在做什么?女人说:都朝巴尔德射,他一点事也没有。弗丽格说:武器和树木都伤不了他,它们的誓我都取过了。女人又问:万物都起过誓了吗?弗丽格答:瓦尔哈拉西边单长着一株树苗,叫槲寄生;我看着它太嫩,没有向它取誓。

女人转身就走。洛基把槲寄生连根拔起,带去了集会。

霍德尔站在人圈外面,因为他看不见。洛基问他:你为什么不朝巴尔德射?他答:我看不见他在哪儿,手里也没有武器。洛基说:你也照别人的样子做,像他们一样给巴尔德一份敬重;我指给你他站的地方,你用这根枝条射他。霍德尔接过槲寄生,由洛基引着手射了出去。枝子穿过巴尔德,他倒下死了。

没有人说话,也没有人伸手去扶。等诸神回过神,先出来的声音是哭。奥丁哭得最重,因为他最清楚这一死意味着什么。

葬礼上,巴尔德被抬上他的船。妻子南娜看见,心当即裂开,也死了,随他一起上火堆。托尔一脚把火堆前跑过的矮人利特尔踢进火里烧了。

弗丽格问:谁愿意去冥界,把巴尔德要回来?赫尔莫德骑上奥丁的马斯莱普尼尔去了,骑了九夜才到赫尔那里。赫尔说:可以试。如果世上万物,活的和死的,都为他哭,他就回诸神这边;只要有一个不肯哭,他就留在我这儿。

话发到全世界,万物都哭了。使者回来时,在一个洞里找到一个女巨人,她自称特克。他们请她哭一哭巴尔德,她答:特克只为巴尔德哭出没有水的眼泪;活的我没爱过那个人,死的我也不爱,赫尔就留住她已经拿到的人吧。

众神认定她就是洛基——他先害死了巴尔德,又让他换不回来。

后来洛基被捉住,带进一个洞。他的一个儿子被变成狼,撕开自己的兄弟;诸神用那肠子把他绑在三块石头上,肠子变成了铁。斯卡蒂把一条毒蛇系在他头顶,让毒液往他脸上滴。他的妻子西格恩拿盆接毒液;盆满了去倒,毒液就滴在他脸上。他疼得用力挣动,整个大地跟着抖——人们管这叫地震。他要在这副绑索里躺到诸神的劫数。

按语

编纂者就该条所见母题、异文与流传所作的说明。

这条故事主挂 H03「预言与宿命」,次挂 H04「替身与代死」。H03 的常见骨架是「预告—规避—实现」,北欧这一版把三个环节的材质都换了:预告不是神谕,而是一场噩梦(巴尔德「梦见又凶又险的事,关乎自己的性命」,梦里没有说出方式、时间和凶手);规避不是一个逃亡者的路线,而是一份向万物取得的契约;实现不是宿命追上人,而是契约上的一个缺格被人找到并用掉。所以它的悲剧机制跟希腊的俄狄浦斯(qx-0052)并不在同一个位置上。俄狄浦斯的每一步规避都是人的合理选择——弃婴、离开养父的家、绕开故土——没有一步出于恶意,预言就在这一串无恶意的行动里自己走完;北欧的这一步却需要有人在夜里把槲寄生连根拔起。一个是系统的漏洞,一个是人的选择。

值得注意的是漏洞是怎么来的。弗丽格那份清单是类目清单:火与水、铁与金属、石头、泥土、树木、病症、走兽、飞鸟、毒物、蛇类。它按类取誓,而类目天生不完整;槲寄生被漏掉,理由不是恶意,是「我看着它太嫩」——一个可辩护的疏忽。这就又与俄狄浦斯分开了:希腊的缺口是信息的缺口(没有人知道自己是被丢弃的那个孩子),北欧的缺口是枚举的缺口(清单本来可以补上,但起草人相信它已经完整)。

更锋利的一笔是:这个缺口是被说出来的。洛基并不是考古式地发现了它——他把自己变成女人的样子去问弗丽格,弗丽格自己把缺口报了出来。契约的担保人同时是它的泄密者,于是北欧版本里多出一个希腊版本不需要的角色:一个身处系统内部的对手。北欧的悲剧需要敌人,希腊的悲剧不需要。

诸神补救的办法同样是一份不完整的契约。赫尔开出的赎价是「万物都为他哭」,起草人以为门槛已经设到最高;但那是一条全体同意条款,而全体同意条款的漏洞恰好就是「一个」。最后站出来的正是洛基(女巨人特克)。同一个人用同一个办法,把同一套设计再破一次:第一次是漏掉的一类,第二次是拒绝的一个。这里给出的不是某一处疏忽,而是一种系统性的错觉——把「所有」写进条款,并不能让「所有」成立。

H04「替身与代死」在本条里是另一种形态:这里没有自愿者。霍德尔站在人圈外,因为他是盲的;他交出去的不是性命,是一只手——他看不见巴尔德站在哪里,手里也没有武器,洛基把槲寄生交给他,引着他的手投出去。全篇没有一句写他恶意,他答话的口气是坦白的:我看不见,我也没有武器。巴尔德倒下之后,文本只说「大家心里都清楚这事是谁做的,但没有人能出手报复,因为那地方的圣洁太重了」——句子里的那个「谁」甚至不必是洛基。霍德尔此后从这一节里消失;利特尔(Litr)更彻底:他从巴尔德火堆前跑过,被托尔一脚踢进火里烧掉,全篇给他的只有一行字。这两处正落在 H04 所描述的那种代死者身上:充当工具、无名、被叙事迅速遗忘。

与 qx-0053 的阿尔刻提斯对读,可以看到 H04 的两端。希腊那条里,豁免的条款明文要求「有人自愿替他死」(if someone should choose voluntarily to die for him),于是全剧的关键动作变成拒绝:父亲不肯,母亲不肯,最后只有妻子应下;谁都可以说不,说了也不必承担后果。本条里没有人被允许说不,因为没有人被问过:霍德尔不知道自己在动手,利特尔不知道自己为什么在火堆旁边。H04 问「谁有资格决定另一个人可以替他死」,北欧给出的回答干脆是:不需要资格,只需要一只可以引的手。

文本问题。这一节出自《欺骗古鲁菲》第四十九至五十节,是「高者」答复甘格勒里的问答体;斯诺里是 13 世纪的基督徒,写的是给诗人备查的手册,所以巴尔德之死在他的书里不是意外,而是诸神劫数的第一块骨牌。细节上有三处要留意。其一,槲寄生在原文里只是一株「长在瓦尔哈拉西边、单独长着的树苗」(a tree-sprout alone westward of Valhall),并非自带法力的武器:它伤得了巴尔德,只因为它是唯一没有起誓的东西——「武器」的属性来自契约的缺口,不来自那株植物。其二,Brodeur 写的是 Baldr 与 Hödr,「光明之神」这个称号在本节里并没有出现,它来自前面的诸神名册:斯诺里在那里说巴尔德「容貌极美,光亮得从他身上照出来」(he is so fair of feature, and so bright, that light shines from him),后人据此才把他读成光明之神。其三,洛基受缚与地震的因果被安放在巴尔德故事之后,等于给一桩谋杀配了一个解释地震的结尾——报应在文本里同时是自然现象的说明。

同母题 · 他文化

参见