According to the Eddas, the poetic saga of the Norse Gods, the Runic alphabet was a gift from Odin. The word 'rune' means 'wisper,' or 'secret wisdom.' A selection from the Eddas tells of their discovery. Odin hangs for nine nights upon the world tree, wounded, without food or water; finally, he sees the reflection of the runes in the water:
"Wounded I hung on a wind-swept gallows
For nine long nights,
Pierced by a spear, pledged to Odhinn,
Offered, myself to myself
The wisest know not from whence spring
The roots of that ancient rood.
They gave me no bread,
They gave me no mead,
I looked down;
with a loud cry
I took up runes;
from that tree I fell."
The runes originated around 200 B.C.E., as magical symbols engraved in stone; they were developed into the first Rune alphabet, the "elder" Futhark ('futhark' being a transliteration of the first six letters), an alphabet of twenty four characters. Many permutations and revisions over the years produced several variants, including the 'elder' and 'younger' futhark, and the Danish "short twig" script. Eventually, the sixteen character alphabet became the most commonly used.
An epic "Rune poem," written in Old English around 1000 C.E., outlined the metaphorical and divinatory meanings of the characters, which at that time numbered at thirty three.
Uruz Strength; virility
Thurisaz Gateway, beginning
Ansuz A message or signal, a secret; speech
Raido Travel, sojourn, movement
Kaunaz Openings, shedding light on something, fire
Gibo A gift or blessing, partnerships
Wunjo Joy; happiness, illumination
Hagalaz Disruption, chaos, shattering of illusion
Nauthiz Pain, confinement, limitation
Isa Inaction
Jera Fertility, harvesting, returns; reaping what you've sown
Eihwaz Protection, defense; also withdrawl or barriers
Perth Secrets, initiations, occult or hidden things
Algiz Defense, protection
Sowelu Completion, perfection
Teiwaz (Tyr) Victory, conquest
Berkana Renewal, rebirth, new beginnings
Ehwaz Overcoming barriers, movement, progression
Mannaz The self, humanity
Leguz Water, sea, motherhood; intuition
Inguz Fertility, birth, beginnings
Dagaz Sunlight, enlightenment
Othela The home, hearth, possessions
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About
Odin had several wives, with whom he fathered many children. With his first wife, Frigg, he fathered his most gentle son Balder, who stood for happiness, goodness, wisdom, and beauty. He also fathered the blind god Hodr, who was representative of darkness (in contrast to Balder's light). Frigg is best known for her love of her son Balder, as well as the story of how she travelled Earth in order to protect him from fated death. By the Earth Goddess Jord (Fjorgin) Odin was the father of his most famous son, Thor the Thunderer. By the giantess Grid, Odin was the father of Vídar, and by Rinda he was father of Váli. Also, many royal families claimed descent from Odin through other sons. For traditions about Odin's offspring, see Sons of Odin.
According to the Hávamál Edda, Odin was also the creator of the Runic alphabet. It is possible that the legends and genealogies mentioning Odin originated in a real, prehistoric Germanic chieftain who was subsequently deified; but this is presently impossible to prove or disprove.
Odin and his brothers, Vili and Ve, are attributed with slaying Ymir, the Ancient Giant, to form Midgard. From Ymir's flesh, the brothers made the earth, and from his shattered bones and teeth they made the rocks and stones. From Ymir's blood, they made the rivers and lakes. Ymir's skull was made into the sky, secured at four points by four dwarfs named East, West, North, and South. From Ymir's brains, the three Gods shaped the clouds, whereas Ymir's eye-brows became a barrier between Jotunheim (giant's home) and Midgard, the place where men now dwell. Odin and his brothers are also attributed with making humans.
After having made earth from Ymir's flesh, the three brothers came across two logs (or an ash and an elm tree). Odin gave them breath and life; Vili gave them brains and feelings; and Ve gave them hearing and sight. The first man was Ask and the first woman was Embla and from them all human families are descended. Many kings and royal houses claim to trace their lineage back to Odin through Ask and Embla.
Odin ventured to Mímir's Well, near Jötunheim, the land of the giants; not as Odin, but as Vegtam the Wanderer, clothed in a dark blue cloak and carrying a traveller's staff. To drink from the Well of Wisdom, Odin had to sacrifice his eye (which eye he sacrified is unclear), symbolizing his willingness to gain the knowledge of the past, present and future. As he drank, he saw all the sorrows and troubles that would fall upon men and the gods. He also saw why the sorrow and troubles had to come to men.
Mímir accepted Odin's eye and it sits today at the bottom of the Well of Wisdom as a sign that the father of the gods had paid the price for wisdom. Sacrifice for the greater good is a recurring theme in Norse mythology, as in the case of Tyr, who sacrificed his hand to fetter Fenrisulfr.
Odin was said to have learned the mysteries of seid from the Vanic goddess and völva Freyja, despite the unwarriorly connotations of using magic. In Lokasenna, Loki derides Odin for practicing seid, implying it was women's work. Another example of this may be found in the Ynglinga saga where Snorri opines that men who used seid were ergi or unmanly.
Odin's quest for wisdom can also be seen in his work as a farmhand for a summer, for Baugi, and his seduction of Gunnlod in order to obtain the mead of poetry.
In the Rúnatal, a section of the Hávamál, Odin is attributed with discovering runes. He was hanged from the tree called Yggdrasill while pierced by his own javelin for nine days and nights, in order to learn the wisdom that would give him power in the nine worlds. Nine is a significant number in Norse magical practice (there were, for example, nine realms of existence), thereby learning nine (later eighteen) magical songs and eighteen magical runes.
Some scholars hypothesize that this legend influenced the story of Christ's crucifixion. It is also similar to the story of Buddha's enlightenment. In Shamanism, the traversal of the axis mundi by the shaman to bring back knowledge is a common pattern. We know that sacrifices, human or otherwise, to the gods were commonly hung in or from trees, often transfixed by spears. (See also: Peijainen) Additionally, one of Odin's names is Ygg, and the Norse name for the World Ash —Yggdrasill—therefore could mean "Ygg's (Odin's) horse". Another of Odin's names is Hangatýr, the god of the hanged.
Odin had three residences in Asgard. First was Gladsheim, a vast hall where he presided over the twelve Diar or Judges, whom he had appointed to regulate the affairs of Asgard. Second, Valaskjálf, built of solid silver, in which there was an elevated place, Hlidskjalf, from his throne on which he could perceive all that passed throughout the whole earth. Third was Valhalla (the hall of the fallen), where Odin received the souls of the warriors killed in battle, called the Einherjar. The souls of women warriors, and those strong and beautiful women whom Odin favored, became Valkyries, who gather the souls of warriors fallen in battle (the Einherjar), as these would be needed to fight for him in the battle of Ragnarök. They took the souls of the warriors to Valhalla. Valhalla has five hundred and forty gates, and a vast hall of gold, hung around with golden shields, and spears and coats of mail.
Odin has a number of magical artifacts associated with him: the dwarven javelin Gungnir, which never misses its target; a magical gold ring (Draupnir), from which every ninth night eight new rings appear; and two ravens Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory), who fly around Earth daily and report the happenings of the world to Odin in Valhalla at night. He also owned Sleipnir, an octopedal horse, who was given to Odin by Loki, and the severed head of Mímir, which foretold the future. He also commands a pair of wolves named Geri and Freki, to whom he gives his food in Valhalla since he consumes nothing but mead or wine. From his throne, Hlidskjalf (located in Valaskjalf), Odin could see everything that occurred in the universe.
The Valknut (slain warrior's knot) is a symbol associated with Odin. It consists of three interlaced triangles.
Odin had not yet drunk from the Well of Wyrd when he found Loki the handsome Jotun. Odin saw how talented Loki was and requested that the two become foster brothers. Loki agreed and was brought up to Asgard immediately, where the Æsir welcomed him warmly as Odin's brother.
Another myth tells of the time that Odin found a Jotun guarding an object protectively. Full of curiosity Odin summoned the Jotun at once and asked him his name. The Jotun replied that his name was Mimir. Odin then asked him what his object was.
"It is the Well of Knowledge" Mimir replied, and, seeing the look in Odin's eyes added and you may have a drink- if you give me one of your all-seeing eyes. Odin readily agreed and took out one of his eyes. Odin then took a long drink from the Well and was, forever after, the wisest man on Midgard and the wisest God on Asgard.
The Norsemen gave Odin many nick-names; this was in the Norse skaldic tradition of heiti and kennings, a poetic method of indirect reference, as in a riddle. The name Alföðr ("Allfather", "father of all") appears in Snorri Sturluson's Younger Edda. (It probably originally denoted Tiwaz, as it fits the pattern of referring to Sky Fathers as "father".) According to Bernhard Severin Ingemann, Odin is known in Wendish mythology as Woda or Waidawut.
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