In the Prose Edda, Odin allowed his son Hermóðr to use Sleipnir in his attempt to retrieve one of his other sons, Baldr, from Hel. However, he cursed Brynhildr to eternal sleep and imprisonment after she supported a king against his wishes. He helped Sigurd in his quest to kill Fafnir, the dwarf that transformed into a dragon. Some of his actions had destructive and creative sides: he killed the giant Ymir but then created Midgard out of his remains. He was undoubtedly obsessed with acquiring all the wisdom and magic in the world, and these quests could make him appear ruthless. Odin is represented as being somewhere between good and evil in Norse mythology. He turned himself into a snake to crawl through a hole he made in a mountain to steal the mead of poetry.Īfter receiving the head of the sage Mímir, he cast a spell on it to bring it to life again so it could counsel him and reveal more of Mímir’s secrets. Odin is the Norse god of magic, and although he uses his powers mainly to disguise himself (as Hár or Bölverk), he is also a shapeshifter. Odin killed the giant Ymir with Gungnir so much blood poured from the wound it drowned all the jötnar (giants) except for Bergelmir and his wife. Odin often appears wielding his spear, Gungnir. Huginn is old Norse for “thought,” and Muninn means “memory.” Depictions often show these black birds sitting on or flying around Odin’s shoulders.Īt sunrise every day, Odin would order them to gather news from across the nine realms and report back to him at breakfast.Īn illustration of the god Odin on his eight-legged horse Sleipnir, from an Icelandic 18th -entury manuscript (1760) What is Odin’s Weapon? Huginn and Muninn are Odin’s pair of ravens in Nordic myth. Odin is also often accompanied by the wolves Geri and Freki. He is “the best horse among gods and men,” according to the Prose Edda. He is so powerful that he can outrun any horse in the nine realms, fly, and run across the sea. He has eight legs and runes carved onto his teeth.

In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is Odin’s magical horse. He occupies the Hlidskjalf (or Hliðskjálf), the magical place or the high seat from where he has a vantage point of all nine realms. Odin lives in Asgard, the highest and most important realm in the World Tree, Yggdrasil. The three symbols of the horn Triskelion may represent Odin’s love of poetry and wisdom – and the connection of these to Odin himself (he, himself, is the third symbol). Odin is the god of war, poets, and magic Odin is also a Norse god of alcohol. Odin’s Depiction in the Marvel Universe.What Are Odin’s Best-Known Stories in The Norse Myths?.How Powerful Is Odin Compared to Other Norse Gods?.

Which Animals Are Associated With Odin?.

Odin god of war