gods became wiser than the giants, or they would have ceased to be gods,
and been destroyed by the giants, instead of destroying them. When the
world was still young, and there were still many things which even the
gods had to learn, Odin was so anxious to become wise that he went to a
deep well whose waters touched the roots of Ygdrasil itself. The keeper
of the well was a very old and very wise giant, named Mimer, or Memory,
and he gave no draughts out of the well until he was well paid; for the
well contained the water of wisdom, and whoever drank of it became
straightway wonderfully wise.

"Give me a draught of this clear water, O Mimer," said Odin, when he had
reached the well, and was looking down into its clear, fathomless
depths.

Mimer, the keeper, was so old that he could remember everything that had
ever happened. His eyes were clear and calm as the stars, his face was
noble and restful, and his long white beard flowed down to his waist.

"This water is only to be had at a great price," he said in a
wonderfully sweet, majestic tone. "I cannot give to all who ask, but
only to those who are able and willing to give greatly in return," he
continued.

If Odin had been less of a god he would have thought longer and
bargained sharper, but he was so godlike that he cared more to be wise
and great than for anything else.

"I will give you whatever you ask," he answered.

Mimer thought a moment. "You must leave an eye," he said at last.

Then he drew up a great draught of the sparkling water, and Odin
quenched his divine thirst and went away rejoicing, although he had left
an eye behind. Even the gods could not be wise without struggle and toil
and sacrifice.

So Odin became the wisest in all the worlds, and there was no god or
giant that could contend with him. There was one giant, however, who was
called all-wise in Joetunheim, with whom many had contended in knowledge,
with curious and difficult questions, and had always been silenced and
killed, for then, as now, a man's life often depended on his wisdom. Of
this giant, Vafthrudner, and his wisdom many wonderful stories were
told, and even among the gods his fame was great. One day as Odin sat
thinking of many strange things in the worlds, and many mysterious
things in the future, he thought of Vafthrudner. "I will go to Joetunheim
and measure wisdom with Vafthrudner, the wisest of the giants," said he
to Frigg, his wife, who was sitting by.

Then Frig