Norse Paganism

Upon his shoulders perch two ravens, Huginn and Muninn 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 [Bifrost] 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 Basking in 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 [Yggdrasill] 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