Observations placeholder
Poetic Edda - Sayings of the High One [extract]
Identifier
008212
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Odin, one of the chiefs of the gods has visited Gunnlod in her hall. Gunnlod was the keeper of the 'mead of poetry', thus a sort of goddess similar to the Muses. Odin succeeds in seducing her. In order to get to her hall, he uses an auger called Rati or Rath to bore his way into the mountain where she lives.
Lewis Caroll knew about Raths - 'the mome raths outgrabe'
A description of the experience
The Poetic Edda
from Sayings of the High One
I visited the old giant, now I've come back
I didn't get much there from being silent;
with many words I spoke to my advantage
in Suttung's hall
Gunnlod gave me from her golden throne
a drink of the precious mead;
a poor reward I let her have in return,
for her open heartedness
for her heavy spirit.
With the mouth of the auger I made space for myself
and gnawed through the stone
over me and under me went the paths of the giants
thus I risked my head