Odin's Winning Of The Runes

Wounded I hung on a wind-swept gallows For nine long nights, Pierced by a spear, pledged to Odhinn, Offered, myself to myself The wisest know not from whence spring The roots of that ancient rood.

They gave me no bread, They gave me no mead, I looked down: with a loud cry I took up runes, then from that tree I fell.

Nine lays of power I learned from the famous Blthorn, Bestla' s father: He poured me a draught of precious mead, Mixed with magic Odhroerir:

I waxed and throve well; Word from word gave words to me, Deed from deed gave deeds to me,

Runes you will find, and readable staves, Very strong staves, very stout staves, Staves that B????lthorn stained, Made by mighty powers, Graven by the prophetic god;

For the gods by Odhinn, for the elves by Dain, By Dvalin, too, for the dwarves, By Asvid for the hateful giants, And some I carved myself: Thund, before man was made, scratched them, Who rose first, fell thereafter.

Know how to cut them, know how to read them, Know how to stain them, know how to prove them, Know how to evoke them, know how to score them, Know how to send them, know how to spend them.