Hnitbjörg

"Crashing rock." The chamber where the jötunn Suttungr concealed the mead of poetry, placing his daughter Gunnlöð there to watch over it. Odin, who had assumed the name of Bölverkr, tricked Suttungr's brother Baugi into boring a hole through the rock with the auger Rati. He then turned himself into a serpent and slithered into the hole. Gunnlöð permitted him three drinks the mead, but he drank it all and escaped in the shape of an eagle.

A kenning for poesy is Liquor of Hnitbjörg.

❧