Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

immortality. In the Germanic mythology, Sindri and Brokk forge from a pig skin Frey's
steed, which looks like a boar, and the sons of Ivaldi forge from gold, locks that grow like
other hair. The ring Draupnir, which the "dwarves" Sindri and Brokk made, itself
possesses creative power and every ninth night produces eight gold rings of equal weight
with itself (Skáldskaparmál 43). The "mead-drinker" is the chief and master of all these
artists. And on a closer examination, it appears that Mimir's mead-well is the source of all
these powers, which in the mythology are represented as creating, forming, and ordaining
with wisdom.
In Hávamál (138-141) Odin relates that there was a time when he had not yet
acquired strength and wisdom. But by self-sacrifice he was able to prevail on the
celebrated Bolthorn's son, who dwells in the deep and has charge of the mead-fountain
there and of the mighty runes, to give him (Odin) a drink from the precious mead, drawn
from Odhrerir:
proclaiming him whom naught can hide; and this the drinking chalice of the Asura, which 'til that time was
one, ye made to be fourfold." From The Hymns of the Rgveda, translated with a popular commentary by
Ralph T. H. Griffith, 1889.