Postcards From Asgard- Odin's Eye: Part 1 of 2

Odin would often sit on his throne in Asgard flanked by his two wolves, Geri and Freki, whose names both translate to greedy or ravenous. Odin would feed them all of his food from the table, the Allfather required no food, only his mead, for this to him is both meat and drink. On his shoulders would perch two shiny ravens, Huginn, and Muninn. They were Odin's closest allies, he even gave them the ability to speak. He would send his ebony birds of prey to soar through the skies, returning to whisper what they had learned into their master's ear. Those whispers would lead to one of the Allfathers most recognizable features. So begins, Odin’s eye

Click for music ▼

Odin had returned from his sacrifice at Urd's well with greater knowledge and magical power than any other being in the nine worlds. Well, almost any… Recently Father Odin, the king of all the Aesir, had learned of another fountain even more wonderful still. He had sent his two ravens Huginn and Muginn forth to bring him the news, and they had told him that there was, below the roots of Yggdrasil, in the spot where the sky and ocean met lived a giant. Mimer had sat for centuries keeping guard over his hidden well, in the water of which lay such a treasure of wisdom as was to be found nowhere else in the world. Every morning Mimer dipped his glittering horn Giöll into the fountain and drew out a draught of the magical water, which he would drink, and this made him wise. Every day he grew wiser and wiser; and as this had perhaps been going on ever since before the birth of the gods. One can only imagine how wise Mimer was.

Odin did not like this. Why should a giant have all this wisdom to himself? The giants were the enemies of the Aesir. The wisdom which they had been hoarding for ages before the birth of the gods was generally put to evil purposes. Odin. Who valued knowledge above all else, had forever longed to become the wisest being in the world. So he decided to win a draught from Mimer's well, at whatever price the giant would demand.

The next evening, when the sun had set behind the mountains of Midgard, Odin would disguise himself, as he often would when he traveled to the world of men. His beautifu wife Frigg would plead with him not too go, she knew full well the danger involved. Odin would not be dissuaded. He put on his broad-brimmed hat and his blue cloak, he grabbed his famous staff and started off to his quest. He had decided he would not take his horse. Sleipnir was Loki’s son and the greatest horse in all the worlds, and with it’s eight powerful legs galloping could make the trip almost instantly. The god considered this... and then uttering a low grumble decided against it. Too conspicuous he thought. So he began his journey down the long rainbow bridge to where it ended by the path to Mimer's secret grotto.

As Odin trudged along the road to the well, came upon a giant riding on the back of a reindeer. He immediately recognized him, it was Vafthrudnir. He was one of the wisest of the giants who knew many things yet he was not clever enough to see through Odin’s disguise. Odin had pulled himself up to the height of the giant, and they began to converse, “There’s something I would dearly like to learn from you,” he said. and the giant replied with a smile: “Ho Ho. before you can learn from me, I will pose you three riddles. And if you answer any of them wrong, I will take your head. But if you answer them right, I will answer you nine questions on the same terms. Do you agree to my rules?” This was exactly the sort of game Odin liked, and he was determined in his mission, he agreed to the giant’s terms and followed him to his home.

By Lorenz Frølich - Published in Gjellerup, Karl (1895). Den ældre Eddas Gudesange. Scanned from a 2001 reprint by bloodofox (talk · contribs)., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5731859

‘That’s just fine,’ said the giant, ‘These are the questions. What is the name of the river that divides Asgard from Jötunheim? What are the names of the horses that Day and Night drive across the sky? And what is the name of the plain on which the last battle will be fought?’

Odin breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the answers.‘Ifling is the deadly cold river that freezes in an instant any living thing that falls into it…Skinfaxe and Hrimfaxe are the horses that drive Day and Night across the sky. The field for the Last Battle is Vigard. That’s where the greatest battle will be fought at the End of Days.’‘Hmph’, said the giant. Clearly displeased. ‘You keep your head’. The giant was disappointed, he liked taking peoples’ heads off them and boiling them up for dinner. ‘Now it’s your turn’.

Odin asked eight questions of the ancient giant, he learned of the world before his birth, and details of the fate that the gods come the time of Ragnarok, Finally Odin asked his eighth question “What will be the last words that Odin will whisper into the ear of Baldur, his son?”‘Hold on! That’s not a fair question’ said the giant. ‘How could I possibly know that? It was at this moment that Vafthrudnir recognized Odin. 'You alone know that what You will say in the ears of your son. I doomed myself when I dared to tell What fate will befall the gods, And staked my wit against the wit of Odin, Ever the wisest of all.' ‘Well,” Odin replied; ‘ you Didn't seem to concerned about being fair to me, now did you? No, you did not… Odin then posed his ninth question; 'Tell me one final thing.’ ‘What will I have to give Mimir for a drink from the Well of Wisdom?’‘He will ask for your right eye,’ said the giant. Odin scoffed: that's a lot to ask for. Is there no other way.?..’ “There is no other way. Many have asked for the wisdom of the waters, but none have yet agreed to pay the price.” the giant replied.

Odin then proceeded to swiftly remove the giants head, before continuing on his way. He was glad to leave the body of the wise but fierce giant behind. The path was stony, and a bitterly cold wind began then rain fell from the heavens and soon his cloak was wet through. He touched its clasp and whispered the rune, and his cloak dried, and the weather improved, but the path was still rough, and he took great care where he put his feet, using his staff to clear his way. Odin was depressed, especially when he thought about the eye he would have to sacrifice. He remembered the terrible pain when he sacrificed himself on the world tree. Odin’s quest for knowledge was not an entirely selfish endeavor. For when the gods were in Midgard, the Land of Men, they could feel what men felt and suffer what men and women suffered. He knew that to make the world better for mankind he would need more knowledge and wisdom than any being before. Odin knew he would have to forfeit his eye to gain the Wisdom he needed to save the World.

1886(Odin,_the_Wanderer).jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odin#/media/File:Georg_von_Rosen_-_Oden_som_vandringsman,

That's it for part one, thanks for reading!
If you want to check out the story so far here's some links: The Creation section you can find here: Part 1 Part2 Part 3 Odin the Allfather is here: Allfather

Bonus: Odins 18 runic spells as described in the Edda's. If you guy's ever have any questions i will always do my best to answer in the comments.

Know how to cut them,
know how to read them,
Know how to stain them,
know how to prove them,
Know how to evoke them,
know how to score them,
Know how to send them,
know how to send them.

Better not to ask than to over-pledge
As a gift that demands a gift.
Better not to send
Than to slay too many.

The first charm I know is unknown to rulers
Or any of human kind;
Help it is named,
for help it can give
In hours of sorrow and anguish.

I know a second that the sons of men
Must learn who wish to be leeches.

I know a third: in the thick of battle,
If my need be great enough,
It will blunt the edges of enemy swords,
Their weapons will make no wounds.

I know a fourth:
it will free me quickly
If foes should bind me fast
With strong chains, a chant that makes
Fetters spring from the feet,
Bonds burst from the hands.

I know a fifth: no flying arrow,
Aimed to bring harm to men,
Flies too fast for my fingers to catch it
And hold it in mid-air.

I know a sixth:
It will save me if a man
Cut runes on a sapling' s roots
With intent to harm; it turns the spell;
The hater is harmed, not me.

If I see the hall
Ablaze around my bench mates,
Though hot the flames,
They shall feel nothing,
If I choose to chant the spell. [seventh]

I know an eighth:
That all are glad of,
Most useful to men:
If hate fester in the heart of a warrior,
It will soon calm and cure him.

I know a ninth:
When need I have
To shelter my ship on the flood,
The wind it calms, the waves it smoothes
And puts the sea to sleep

I know a tenth:
If troublesome ghosts
Ride the rafters aloft,
I can work it so they wander astray,
Unable to find their forms,
Unable to find their homes.

I know an eleventh:
When I lead to battle old comrades in-arms,
I have only to chant it behind my shield,
And unwounded they go to war,
Unwounded they come from war,
Unscathed wherever they are

I know a twelfth:
If a tree bear
A man hanged in a halter,
I can carve and stain strong runes
That will cause the corpse to speak,
Reply to whatever I ask.

I know a thirteenth
If I throw a cup of water over a warrior,
He shall not fall in the fiercest battle,
Nor sink beneath the sword,

I know a fourteenth, that few know:
If I tell a troop of warriors
About the high ones, Elves and Gods,
I can name them one by one.
(Few can the nitwit name.)
I know a fifteenth,
That first Thjodrerir
Sang before Delling's doors,
Giving power to Gods, prowess to Elves,
Fore-sight to Hroptatyr Odhinn,

I know a sixteenth:
If I see a girl
With whom it would please me to play,
I can turn her thoughts, can touch the heart
Of any white armed woman.

I know a seventeenth:
If I sing it,
The young girl will be slow to forsake me.
I know an eighteenth that I never tell
To maiden or wife of man,
A secret I hide from all
Except the love who lies in my arms,
Or else my own sister.

To learn to sing them, Loddfafnir,
Will take you a long time,
Though helpful they are if you understand them,
Useful if you use them,
Needful if you need them.

The Wise One has spoken words in the hall,
Needful for men to know,
Unneedful for trolls to know:

Hail to the speaker,
Hail to the knower,
Joy to him who has understood,
Delight to those who have listened.