Myth Monday - Odin

Odin (aka Woden), resident of the heroes' hall, Valhalla, is the head god in the Norse pantheon. He is also the oldest of the Norse gods, a son of Bor and the giantess Bestia.

Among Odin's names are:

• Alfodr, 'father of the gods';
• Valfodr, 'father of the slain';
• Veratyr, 'lord of men';
• Bileygr and Baleygr, 'shifty-eyed' and 'flaming-eyed';
• Glapsvidir, 'swift in deceit';
• Fjolsvidr, 'wide in wisdom';
• Farmatyr 'god of cargoes';
• Oski, 'wish giver';
• Sidfodr, 'father of victories'.

He has many talents, including:

• skill in martial arts (a war god)
• language (including written runes)
• magic
• shape-changing
• wisdom & knowledge
• ferryman - psychopomp gatherer of the souls of the dead (see Hermes), "especially of those who met a violent end" [Houston]

Odin received wisdom in exchange for an eye with which he bought a drink from the giant Mimir's well at the foot of the World Tree. Alternatively, Odin obtained knowledge by preserving Mimir's head, which then served as a type of oracle.

Odin discovered runes by hanging on the World Tree for 9 days and nights, fasting, and pierced by a spear.

References:

• "Bran, Odin, and the Fisher King: Norse Tradition and the Grail Legends"
  Alby Stone
  Folklore, Vol. 100, No. 1 (1989), pp. 25-38
• "Ghost Riders in the Sky"
  Susan Hilary Houston
  Western Folklore, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jul., 1964), pp. 153-162
• "Odin" A Dictionary of World Mythology. Arthur Cotterell. Oxford University Press, 1997.