We hear how Odin, the Norse god's chief, attained True Wisdom, allowing him to know all that was happening and was due to happen all at once. As you shall learn, he had to pay a heavy price for the gift.
Hello, my name is Elizabeth, and I'm here to tell you about another Norse god myth. This one tells the tale of Odin, the Norse god's chief, who attained True Wisdom only after paying a hefty price.
The Norsemen lived a long time ago, almost halfway between Jesus' period and ours. They generally immigrated from the Scandinavian countries, which are now wealthy but were once impoverished. Except for the Kings and jarls or chiefs, most people were always fighting the cold, starvation, and disease. Many Norsemen sailed away because they were poor - these were the Vikings. They traveled in large boats in search of a better, and perhaps warmer, way to make a living. Some traveled to the United Kingdom, some to other parts of Europe, such as Normandy, France, and Sicily, while others went to Greenland and even to North America.
Odin, the supreme god of the Vikings, was the most powerful of them all. There are many different legends about him, but one aspect remains constant in all of them: he only had one eye, [and that] he was blind. Odin had two ravens that he named Hugin and Munin. They were his two most constant companions. This is due to the fact that he had sacrificed the other in order to achieve enlightenment and thereby save the world. This is how it happened, as told in this story.
Odin lived in Asgard, the Norse gods' home. He was the deity of magic, poetry, prophecy, and wisdom in addition to being the god of war, battle, victory, and death. He, like most gods, did not spend all of his time in Asgard. He went around in a long dark blue cloak with a gorgeous silver clasp with runes inscribed on it when he came down to earth, which they called Midgard. These runes had magical spells.
Odin's cloak had a hood - because umbrellas hadn't yet been made - and a traveller's stick to help him beat aside the shrubs and branches as he travelled. There were no roads back then like there are now. Odin, as the father of the gods, is said to be quite old. Which he could have been, or could not have been, because gods, after all, are immortal, aren't they? Odin is frequently depicted with a long white beard that reaches below his knees. You could say he resembled Gandalf: Tolkien did, after all, and he wrote the book Gandalf is in, so he should know. Or you could argue that he couldn't possibly have grown such a lengthy beard since it would have gotten tangled and dirty, yet as a god, he might have been able to keep it clean. Or you might say what is unmistakably true: he was an expert at disguising himself, and he could and did appear in a variety of disguises.
Odin would sometimes ride his marvelous magic horse Sleipnir, which had eight legs and was incredibly quick, instead of using his stick. I'm not sure if he was simply fast in general or if it was because he had eight legs, but I do know that if I had eight legs, I'd trip over. Anyway, Sleipnir was so swift that Odin just flew along, or maybe he flew because Sleipnir was a magical horse. Some believe he was the forerunner of the reindeer that drive Santa Claus' sleigh.
Odin, on the other hand, grew tired of walking and riding around. He got a brilliant idea one day when he was sick of roaming. He thought to himself, "If only I could see all that's going on, I could stay at home." And he pondered this for a long. True Wisdom was exactly what he required. If he only had True Wisdom, he could stay at home and view everything at the same time, which is impossible to do on the internet.
But he understood that in order to attain True Wisdom, he'd have to drink from the Well guarded by Mimir, Midgard's smartest man.
Odin left Asgard the next morning. He walked to Mimir's Well, carrying his favorite knapsack. It was a risky journey. Because he had to climb across rugged mountains in the face of blizzards of snow and icy winds. The well was near the giants' home in Jotunheim, and it was hidden beneath a massive ash tree. Mimir was not at all welcoming. "He's not going to give me a drink for nothing," Odin explained. "The price will be exorbitant." He was absolutely correct.
Odin came upon a giant riding on the back of a reindeer as he walked along the road to the well. He recognized this high figure right away - he was the wisest of the giants, wise in many ways - yet despite his wisdom, he failed to see through Odin's disguise. Odin had climbed up to the giant's height and struck up a discussion with him. He said, "There's something I'd really like to learn from you."
"Ho ho," said the big, jokingly. You must first solve three puzzles before you may learn from me. You will lose your mind if you answer any of them incorrectly. You can, however, ask me three questions on the same terms if you answer them correctly. "Are you in agreement with my rules?"
Odin did not enjoy this type of game, and who can blame him? But, because he was so intent on completing his task, he agreed to the giant's requirements.
'Well, these are the questions,' the behemoth said. What is the name of the river that separates Jötunheim and Asgard? What are the names of the horses that drive across the sky, Day and Night? What is the name of the plain where the final battle will take place?'
With a sigh of relief, Odin exhaled deeply. That's wonderful news! He had all the answers!
'Ifling is a deadly cold river that freezes any living thing that falls into it in an instant...
Day and Night are driven across the sky by the horses Skinfaxe and Hrimfaxe.
The Last Battle will take place in Vigard. That's where you and I will fight at the end of the world.'
'Hmph,' muttered the colossus. 'You keep your wits about you,' says the narrator. The giant was dissatisfied because he enjoyed chopping off people's heads and boiling them for food. 'Now it's your turn,' says the narrator.
"What will be the last words Odin whispers into the ear of Baldur, his son?" Odin inquired.
The giant said, 'That's not a fair question.' 'How could I have known that?'
'Well,' Odin said. 'Did you have any reservations about treating me fairly? You didn't do it... But I'm not after your head; instead, tell me how much I'll have to pay Mimir for a drink from the Well of Wisdom.'
'He'll ask for your right eye,' the giant predicted.
Odin did not enjoy this type of game, and who can blame him? But, because he was so intent on completing his task, he agreed to the giant's requirements.
Odin shook his head. 'That's a big request. Is there any other option?
"There's no other option." Many have requested the wisdom of the rivers, but none have agreed to pay the price.”
Odin smiled and nodded. He was relieved to be able to walk away from the smart but ferocious monster. The path was hard, and the wind and rain were very cold, so his cloak was soon soaked through. He whispered the rune as he fingered the clasp: his cloak had dry and the weather had improved, but the route remained rough, and he had to be careful where he set his feet. It was gloomy, especially when Odin considered the eye he would have to lose for the rest of his life. And then there's the excruciating ache. Because the gods had to feel what men feel and suffer what men and women suffer while in Midgard, the Land of Men. Odin, on the other hand, understood he'd have to give up his eye in order to earn the Wisdom he'd need to save the world.
Odin continued on his way. He eventually saw the massive Ash Tree that bordered Jotunheim, the Giants' Land, after turning a steep bend in the road. It was a fantastic and lovely tree, as ash trees are known for being tall and deep-rooted. It gathered wisdom from all four corners of the globe thanks to its profound roots. And Mimir stood by his Well near the tree.
'Hello, Odin, I've been expecting you.' Mimir said this since he had drunk from the Well and knew everything that was going to happen, including everyone's name, before they even informed him. 'Do you want something to drink?'
'Yes,' Odin replied. 'I have a hunger for Wisdom, and certainly, Mimir, I must drink from your Well,' says the narrator.
Mimir burst out laughing. 'Many yearn for my waters, but they are denied access to them. My price has yet to be accepted by anyone. You must hand over your right eye to me."
Odin took one last look at the pricing to see if it was too excessive. His beautiful blue eyes matched the sky on a sunny winter day when the earth was covered with frost. Across the frigid tundra, his eyes could pick out the tiniest bird kilometers away. When a human or even a god looked him in the eyes, they couldn't help but be awestruck. He did, however, wind up with two of them.
'Mimir, I will pay your price.' He tore his right eye from his head as he said this. The agony was excruciating. He presented it to the Well's guardian. Mimir presented him with a horn full with wisdom's waters. Odin inhaled deeply.
He saw everything that had happened and everything that would happen in the future right away. The majority of people do not want to know what will happen in the future because part of it will be bad. But some individuals do, and they strive to figure it out in some way. It usually doesn't help them, therefore my recommendation is to stay away from fortune tellers.
But Odin was not a person; he was a Norse god, and he chuckled with delight when he saw the bliss that would befall him.
But, having witnessed all of humanity's sufferings and tribulations, he realized what he could do to assist. Even though the gods have no reason to be concerned about us mortals and our insignificant lives and sorrows, they do care - at least some of the time. After drinking from the Well of True Wisdom, he realized that he could never allow evil to have lasting dominance in the human realm. At the very least, we mortals can be thankful for that modest kindness.
That is the tale of Odin's True Wisdom and the loss of his eye. It's also conceivable that's how he acquired his name, because odin (or "odeen") means "one" in Russian. Charlotte Sebag-Montefiore adapted the narrative for Storynory.
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