Norse mythology : Odin and the Mead of Poetry
Far away in the cold lands of the North, there once lived a wise being named Kvasir.
He was so full of knowledge that his words were like honey.
But one day, two dwarves grew jealous. They took his blood and mixed it with honey to make a magical drink: the Mead of Poetry.
Whoever drank it would gain wisdom and song.
The dwarves hid it away, and in time, the giant Suttung guarded it deep inside a mountain. His daughter watched over it carefully.
But Odin, the one-eyed god, wanted the mead. He wanted the gift of poetry for gods and for men.
So he used many tricks. First, he disguised himself as a farmhand, winning the trust of the giant’s brother. Then, he turned into a snake, slithering through a crack in the mountain.
Inside, he changed again — this time into a handsome lover to charm Suttung’s daughter. She let him taste the mead, one sip… then another… until Odin had drunk it all!
Quick as a flash, Odin transformed into an eagle and soared across the sky, carrying the mead in his beak.
Some drops spilled, falling to earth — and that is why even mortals sometimes find themselves gifted with poetry.
The mead was meant to stay hidden, but Odin’s clever tricks carried it into the world.
Hindu mythology : Vishnu and the Amrita of Immortality
Long, long ago, the gods and the demons wanted something very special: amrita, the drink of immortality.
To get it, they had to churn the mighty Ocean of Milk.
The gods and demons worked together. They used the great serpent Vasuki as a rope and the tall mountain Mandara as a churning stick.
The demons, strong and proud, pulled from the head side of the snake. But poor Vasuki’s breath was full of poisonous fumes. The demons grew tired and ugly from the venom, while the gods pulled from the safer tail.
At last, the treasure appeared — a shining pot of amrita, glowing like liquid stars.
The demons shouted, “It is ours too! We worked hard for it!”
But the gods were afraid. If the demons drank, they would become unstoppable.
So, clever Vishnu transformed into Mohini, a dazzling maiden with a smile like sunlight.
She said sweetly, “Come, brave ones. I will serve the nectar to all, one by one.”
The demons, dazzled and enchanted, sat in rows, waiting for their share. But Mohini’s hands only gave the cup to the gods.
By the time the demons realized the trick, the pot was empty!
And so the gods became immortal, while the demons were left behind — all because of Vishnu/Mohini’s cleverness.
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