in of wisdom and
handed it to Odin. "Drink, then," he said; "drink and grow wise. This
hour is the beginning of trouble between your race and mine." And wise
Mimer foretold the truth.

Odin thought merely of the wisdom which was to be his. He seized the
horn eagerly, and emptied it without delay. From that moment he became
wiser than anyone else in the world except Mimer himself.

Now he had the price to pay, which was not so pleasant. When he went
away from the grotto, he left at the bottom of the dark pool one of his
fiery eyes, which twinkled and winked up through the magic depths like
the reflection of a star. This is how Odin lost his eye, and why from
that day he was careful to pull his gray hat low over his face when he
wanted to pass unnoticed. For by this oddity folk could easily recognise
the wise lord of Asgard.

In the bright morning, when the sun rose over the mountains of Midgard,
old Mimer drank from his bubbly well a draught of the wise water that
flowed over Odin's pledge. Doing so, from his underground grotto he saw
all that befell in heaven and on earth. So that he also was wiser by the
bargain. Mimer seemed to have secured rather the best of it; for he lost
nothing that he could not spare, while Odin lost what no man can well
part with--one of the good windows wherethrough his heart looks out upon
the world. But there was a sequel to these doings which made the balance
swing down in Odin's favour.

Not long after this, the AEsir quarrelled with the Vanir, wild enemies of
theirs, and there was a terrible battle. But in the end the two sides
made peace; and to prove that they meant never to quarrel again, they
exchanged hostages. The Vanir gave to the AEsir old Nioerd the rich, the
lord of the sea and the ocean wind, with his two children, Frey and
Freia. This was indeed a gracious gift; for Freia was the most beautiful
maid in the world, and her twin brother was almost as fair. To the
Vanir in return Father Odin gave his own brother Hoenir. And with
Hoenir he sent Mimer the wise, whom he took from his lonely well.

Now the Vanir made Hoenir their chief, thinking that he must be very
wise because he was the brother of great Odin, who had lately become
famous for his wisdom. They did not know the secret of Mimer's well, how
the hoary old giant was far more wise than anyone who had not quaffed of
the magic water. It is true that in the assemblies of the Vanir Hoenir
gave excellent counsel. But this