Upon his shoulders perch two ravens,
Hugin and Munin.
They circle the earth by day seeing all,
at night they report to him the world’s tidings.
He wears a golden helmet and a golden ring,
at his side sit two wolves.
His weapons a magic sword
and a spear called Gungnir,
they are carved with runes.
His eight legged horse Sleipnir
carries him over land, sea and air,
the bringer of the valiant dead, the einherjar,
from the battlefield across
the rainbow bridge to Valhalla.
For a single drink of the enchanted water
he paid with one eye,
he was granted supreme wisdom.
He is the god of poetry, sorcery, and death.
Wounded, pierced by a spear
he hung upside down for nine days.
Fasting and agony he made of himself
a sacrifice to himself.
Given no bread nor mead he looked down,
and with a loud cry fell screaming
from the world tree.
In a flash of insight
the secret magic of the runes
was revealed to him.
He took up the runes and mastered them,
eighteen powerful charms for
protection, success in battle, lovemaking,
healing and the power to bring back the dead.
His sacred blood mixed
with black wind and rain wept down
from the world tree deep into the earth.
He commanded the earth to crack open
and to spew forth the strongest of the strong!
On this day he did bestow
unto the world the sons of Odin!