Charon

In Greek mythology, Charon is the ferryman in Hades who takes the dead across the River Styx. Generally the dead must give a coin to Charon in order to cross from the land of the living into Hades.

In The Song Of Orpheus, Neil Gaiman takes Charon and places him within the Sandman universe. In this story, Orpheus enters Hades in hopes of rescuing his recently deceased wife Euridice. When he encounters Charon, Orpheus gives him a sprig of Mistletoe, which is the payment from a living person to enter Hades. Along the way, Charon asks Orpheus to play his lyre and the music was so moving that it made Charon weep.