In Norse mythology, the Mead of Poetry is a mythical beverage that whoever “drinks becomes a skald or scholar”. The drink is a vivid metaphor for poetic inspiration, often associated with Odin.

After the Æsir-Vanir War, the gods sealed the truce by spitting in a vat. To keep a symbol of this truce, they created from their spittle a man named Kvasir. He was so wise that there were no questions he could not answer.

One day, he visited the dwarves Fjalar and Galar. They killed him and poured into three objects. Two of the objects were vats, called Són and Boðn, and the third was a pot called Óðrerir. 

The dwarves later killed a giant called Gilling and his wife. Their son Suttungr was not happy, but he accepted the dwarves apology if he got their mead. He got the mead and stored it in place called Hnitbjörg.

Later on Odin stole the mead from Suttungr and a hot chase started. Oden transformed as an eagle fighting against Suttungr. Heidrun saw them coming and in the nick of time put out vessels to capture the Mead (yes maybe it wasn’t Heidrun, I think it was.)

Odin spat his loot into the vessels. But Suttungr was so close to him that, in his fear and haste, the god let fall some of the precious liquid from his anus. Anybody could drink of this paltry and sullied portion, which was known as the “rhymester’s share” (“skáldfífla hlutr“).