Mead of Poetry

Kvasir

Shortly after the war between Aesir and Vanir, there was a hostage exchange between the two warring tribes. Kvasir, the wisest among the Vanir, joined Njörd and his son Freyr as hostages to the Aesir. Receiving these three gods gained Aesir greater status. Odin and the Aesir gave these three gods a prominent place among them.

Kvasir was so wise that he seemed to know everything. Kvasir travelled throughout the world, teaching people of his knowledge. However, two dwarfs named Fjalar and Galar, who were tired from his continuous lecturing, killed the Vanir.

The two dwarfs poured Kvasir's blood in Odrerir, which were two vats and a pot. The vats were also called Bodn and Son. By mixing the blood with honey, the dwarfs brewed the mead with special powers. The mead allowed anyone who drank it to acquire knowledge and magical skills in poetry that came from Kvasir's memories. The mead became an invaluable source of divine wisdom, and it was called the Mead of Poetry.

One day, the dwarfs gained the company of a giant named Gilling, as they sailed along the coast. When the boat capsized, Gilling fell into the sea and drowned. Gilling's unnamed wife grieved for her husband's death. The dwarfs, tiring of the wife of Gilling's constant and loud grieving, tricked the widow into joining them in a boat. Then Galar killed the widow with a millstone.

The giant Suttung, hearing of his mother's murder, captured the two dwarfs. Suttung only spared and released the dwarfs when they offered the giant their precious mead.

Thirst for Poetry

Suttung knew of the magical properties of the Mead of Poetry, and took the Odrerir home in Hnitbiorg. The mead was kept in a cave in the mountain. Suttung wanting the mead all for himself, placed his daughter Gunnlod there to guard the mead.

Odin learned of the mead, and set out in disguise as a farm hand, calling himself Bolverk, to gain the mead. Odin worked for Baugi, the brother of Suttung, in return for a drink of the mead.

Odin worked the field for a winter and a summer, completing the work of nine men. Baugi, who also wanted a drink from the mead, agreed that Bolverk (Odin) should be paid, but Suttung refused.

Odin tricked Baugi into boring a hole through the mountain using Odin's auger, called rati, hoping to get to the mead. Once the hole was made, Odin transformed himself into a snake and crawled through the hole. Baugi realised he had been tricked and tried to kill the snake (Odin), but failed.

In the cave, Odin found the giantess guarding the mead. For three nights, Odin slept with Gunnlod. Each night, Gunnlod would allow Odin to take one drink of the mead. Odin took only one draught, but he completely drained the Odrerir in the first night, then the vat Bodn in the second night. On the third night, Odin drained the second vat Son in one draught.

Then Odin flew out of the cave in the form of an eagle. Suttung, seeing the eagle, also transformed himself into an eagle and gave chase. The Aesir had containers ready at Asgard. As Odin flew over the containers, he spat the mead into the containers.

To escape Suttung, Odin spat the rest of the mead behind him. Anyone below the two birds would receive their share of the mead, whether they were Aesir or mortals, and become skilled in poetry.

According to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the dwarf Dvalin offered a drink from the Mead of Poetry to men.