Hermodr



Hermóðr is son of God Odin and brother of Baldr. He is often considered the messenger of the Gods.

Hell
After the death of God Baldr, Hermóðr agrees to ride to Hell to offer a ransom for Baldr's return, and so "then Odin's horse Sleipnir was fetched and led forward." Hermóðr mounts Sleipnir and rides away.

Hermóðr rides for nine nights in deep, dark valleys where Hermóðr can see nothing. He arrives at the river Gjöll and then continues to Gjöll bridge, encountering a maiden guarding the bridge named Móðguðr.

After some dialogue, Sleipnir and Hermóðr continue "downwards and northwards" on the road to Hell, until the two arrive at Hell's gates. Hermóðr dismounts from Sleipnir, tightens Sleipnir's girth, mounts him, and spurs Sleipnir on. Sleipnir "jumped so hard and over the gate that it came nowhere near."

Hermóðr rides up to Hell's hall, and dismounts from Sleipnir. After Hermóðr's pleas to Hel to return Baldr are accepted under a condition, Hermóðr and Baldr retrace their path backward and return to Asgard.

Resources

 * http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/mythology/myths/text/baldr.htm