王の写本
Hermód appears in Snorri's "Gylfaginning" as the messenger sent by Odin to Hel to seek to bargain for Baldr's release. He is called "son" of Odin in most manuscripts, but in the Codex Regius version—the Codex Regius is normally considered the best manuscript—Hermód is called "sveinn Óðins" 'Odin's boy', which might mean Odin's son but in the context is as likely to mean Odin's servant. However, when Hermód arrives in Hel's hall, Snorri calls Baldur his brother. To confuse matters, other texts know of a mortal hero named Hermód or Heremod.