Simrock thinks that "Kvasir," meaning fermentation, implies the excitement necessary to poetry; that Odin, labouring for a draught of the precious mead, suggests that poetry can only be possessed through labour, and that his receiving it from the beautiful Gunnlöd, expresses it as the gift and crown of love. Odin drinking it three times signifies the _intensity_ through which poetry lives,--it is intoxication. Odin appears to have felt very wise after his three draughts; for he is made to say-- "Potent songs I learned, And a draught obtained Of the precious mead, Then I began to bear fruit And to know many things. Word by word I sought out words, Fact by fact I sought out facts. Runes I graved, Very large characters, Very potent characters." One of the _Edda_ songs is called the "High One's Lay." So we may conclude it was inspired by Suttung's mead. One or two of the strophes are worth quoting, just to show what the lay is like. The following are selected from different places and have no connection with one another. "At eve the day is to be praised, A sword after it is proved; Ice after it has passed away, Beer after it is drunk." "Cattle die, Kindred die, We ourselves also die; But I know one thing That never dies-- Judgment on each one dead." "I was once young, I was journeying alone, And lost my way; Rich I thought myself When I met another. Man is the joy of man." Here is a contrast-- "Two are adversaries; The tongue is the bane of the head; Under every cloak I expect a hand." "A firmer friend No man ever gets Than great sagacity." "Givers and requiters Are longest friends." "A worse provision No man can carry Than too much beer-bibbing; So, good is not, as it is said, Beer for the sons of men." "My garments in a field I gave away To two wooden men; Heroes they seemed to be When they got cloaks." "Much too early I came to many places But too late to others; The beer was drunk, Or not ready The disliked seldom hits the moment." We often read of Odin disguising himself, sometimes in animal, more frequently in human form. He wanders about the world, and very curious stories are told about his adventures. Sometimes he asks his wife's leave before setting off,-- "Counsel thou me now, Frigg! As I long to go An all-wise giant to visit." And Frigg answers,-- "In safety mayest thou go, In safety return; In safety on thy journeyings be; May thy wit avail thee When thou, father of men! shalt Hold converse with the giant." But Odin was not obliged to take long journeys himself when he wanted to know what was going on in the world,--he had, as we have seen, two messengers whom he sent out daily,--the Ravens Hugin and Munin, thought and memory,--