Giantess who guarded the mead of poetry in Hnitbjorg.
Gunnlod (Old Norse Gunnlöð) is the giantess set to guard the mead of poetry inside the mountain Hnitbjorg by her father Suttung. According to Hávamál 104–110, Odin entered the mountain through cunning, seduced Gunnlod, and drank three draughts from the three vessels Odrerir, Son, and Bodn before fleeing in eagle form.
Gunnlod is depicted in Hávamál as willingly giving Odin the mead, while Skáldskaparmál emphasizes the betrayal she suffered. She is also mentioned in Völuspá hin skamma. Her role makes her a key figure in the myth of the acquisition of the mead of poetry.
Sources in the Eddas
- Hávamál 104–110
- Odin recounts how he seduced Gunnlod and drank the mead of poetry in Hnitbjorg.
- Skáldskaparmál 1–2
- Snorri recounts how Odin through cunning and seduction stole the mead that Gunnlod guarded.
Interpretive traditions
A What we know
Gunnlod guarded the mead of poetry in Hnitbjorg and gave it to Odin (Hávamál 104–110).
B What we think we know
Whether Gunnlod acted willingly or was deceived is subject to differing interpretations in Hávamál and Skáldskaparmál respectively.