Hey everyone, welcome to another installment of Mythology Explained.
In today’s video, we’re going to be discussing the story of the mead of poetry.
As a precondition to understanding this story, one must understand that there are two tribes of
gods in Norse Mythology, the Aesir, Odin’s ilk, who live in Asgard, and the Vanir, who live in
Vanaheim, another of the nine realms. Suffice it to say that things between these two divine groups
were not always copesetic. After the Aesir-Vanir war, a truce was sealed by all the gods from both
sides spitting into a great vat. All that divine saliva combined to create Kvasir, an exceptionally
wise being, who lived a transient life, travelling the land to impart his knowledge on others.
He kept up this good work until he was run down by a couple of dwarves named Fjalar and Galar.
They killed him, drained his blood, and mixed the blood with honey, creating the Mead of Poetry. Any
drinkers became inspired with wisdom and the prowess of the skalds, who were Norse Poets.
Indeed, it was through this mead that the gift of poetry was spread to mankind.
The dwarves ended up having to gift the mead to Suttungr, a giant,
as recompense for killing his father. The blood payment was accepted, and Suttungr
stored the mead in Hnitbjorg, a secure place under a mountain guarded by his daughter, Gunnloo.
News of the mead reached Odin’s ear, and he ventured forth to claim it for himself.
On his way, he passed a group of nine slaves who were scything hay. He stopped and offered
to sharpen their implements for them. The slaves obliged, but after all their scythes
had been honed to razor sharpness, Odin lofted the stone into the air. Each slave was stricken
with a compulsion to possess the stone, and they all cut each other to pieces fighting over it.
After using his guile and cunning to dispatch the slaves, Odin spent a night at Baugi’s, Suttungr’s
brother's place. Tough times had fallen on Baugi. His business was in jeopardy because
all of Baugi’s slaves had just murdered each other, leaving no one to toil in the fields.
Odin, who, of course, was the perpetrator behind Baugi’s predicament,
offered his aid, saying that he’d do the work of the nine slaves in exchange for a draught of
Baugi’s brother’s mead. The two struck a bargain, and Odin, who told Baugi his name was Bolverkr
to keep his identity hidden, proceeded to toil in the fields
and shoulder the work of all nine slaves for the whole summer. When summer faded, the two of them
approached Suttungr to ask him for a drink of the Mead of Poetry. But to Odin’s dismay,
his request was rejected, and Suttungr refused to part with even a drop of his coveted mead.
Odin was not deterred, however, and he,
persuasive as ever, convinced Baugi to be his accomplice in a trick he intended for Suttungr.
He gave Baugi a drill and instructed him to bore a hole through the side of mount Hnitbjorg,
which was where the mead was under guard. As it turned out, Baugi was only feigning complicity.
He tried to strike Odin with the drill, but the blow missed; for Odin had taken the form of a
snake; and he quickly slithered into the bore, disappearing deep into the mountain.
Once inside, Odin assumed the form of a handsome giant, and under this guise, he charmed Gunnloo,
spending three nights with her so that he could take three draughts of mead.
Only, this in itself was a deception, for three draughts was all it took for Odin to fully drain
the three containers that held the mead. After drinking everything, Odin took the form of an
eagle and flew forth from the mountain. Suttungr discovered what had happened shortly after, and
he also took the form of an eagle so that he could pursue Odin through the skies. Suttungr's pursuit
was relentless, and though he was closing in on Odin’s tail, it was to no avail. Odin arrived
at Asgard just before he was overtaken. The other Aesir gods, who had spotted Odin speeding
towards them, set out vats for Odin to deposit his prize. Not all of the mead made it into the vats,
though. In his haste, there was a lapse in the tightness of Odin’s sphincter, and some of the
precious liquid poured out the back of him. This soiled pool was called the rhymester’s share
and could be drunk by anyone. This pool is what would come to inspire those who were undeserving,
such as lesser poets. The untainted lion’s share that filled the vats
was reserved for the most deserving, like gods and poets who were true virtuosos.
And this is how Odin became the master of poetry.
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Until next time
Remember
Much nonsense a man utters Who talks without tiring