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Mímisbrunnr

The well of wisdom under a root of Yggdrasil, kept by Mímir. Odin left one of his eyes there as the price of a single drink.

Mímisbrunnr is the well of Mímir, one of three springs beneath the world-tree Yggdrasil. Snorri places it under the root that turns toward the frost-giants, "wherein wisdom and understanding are stored" Gylfaginning 15; the other two are Urðr's well in heaven and Hvergelmir in Niflheim. Mímir drinks from it with the Gjallarhorn and so knows the ancient lore. Odin wanted a drink and had to leave one of his eyes in the well as payment Gylfaginning 15 (see Odin's eye and Mímir's well).

Snorri's source is Völuspá, where the seeress tells Odin that she knows his eye is hidden "Deep in the wide-famed well of Mimir", and that Mímir drinks mead "from the pledge of Othin" every morning Völuspá 29. The poem does not explain how an eye can yield mead; that is left to the listener. When Ragnarök comes, Snorri says Odin "shall ride to Mímir's Well and take counsel of Mímir" Gylfaginning 51. The well is not named in Grímnismál, whose list of what lies under the tree's three roots is different.

In the sources

Quoted from the hosted translations; each line is checked against the text when the site is built. Select a reference to read it in context.

But under that root which turns toward the Rime-Giants is Mímir's Well, wherein wisdom and understanding are stored
Gylfaginning 15 Snorri locates the well and says what it holds.
Thither came Allfather and craved one drink of the well; but he got it not until he had laid his eye in pledge.
Gylfaginning 15 The price Odin paid.
I know where Othin's eye is hidden, Deep in the wide-famed well of Mimir
Völuspá 29 The older poem that Snorri is explaining.

Where the sources disagree or fall silent

  • What Völuspá 27 describes: Heimdall's horn, or his hearing, 'hidden Under the high-reaching holy tree', with a stream pouring on it 'from Valfather's pledge'. The pledge is probably Odin's eye, which would place this at the same well, but the stanza is obscure.

Myths with Mímisbrunnr

Odin's eye and Mímir's well Odin gave one of his eyes as a pledge for a drink from the well of wisdom kept by Mímir. The sources tell it in a few lines, and the eye's hiding-place becomes one of the secrets the seeress of Völuspá throws back at the god.

Related

Mímir The wise guardian of the well beneath Yggdrasil, where Odin pledged an eye for a drink. In the poems only his head survives, and Odin consults it for secret knowledge. Odin Óðinn Chief of the Æsir: a one-eyed god of wisdom, poetry, magic, war and the dead, who gave an eye and hanged himself on a tree for knowledge, and who dies at Ragnarök. Yggdrasil Yggdrasill The world-ash at the centre of the Norse cosmos: its roots reach the realms of gods, giants and the dead, and the gods hold court beneath it every day. Urðarbrunnr The holy well beneath Yggdrasil where the Norns live and the gods hold their daily court; its white water keeps the world-tree green. Hvergelmir The spring from which all rivers flow, fed by the dripping horns of a hart in Valhall; Snorri puts it in Niflheim under a root of Yggdrasil, swarming with serpents. Gjallarhorn Heimdall's horn, whose blast is heard in all worlds. He will sound it to wake the gods when Ragnarök begins; Snorri also has Mímir drink from it at his well. Heimdall Heimdallr The watchman of the gods, born of nine mothers, who guards Bifröst from his hall Himinbjörg and will blow the Gjallarhorn when Ragnarök begins.