Draupnir: Odin's Magical Ring
Draupnir (from drjúpa "Drop to drop") is, in Norse mythology, a ring (or, perhaps, a bracelet, we do not know precisely) of gold, excellent metal gods, belonging to Odin and followed Balder.
What is Draupnir, a Magical ring?
Draupnir is a magic ring that every nine nights remove the other eight rings of equal weight: the number of eight, in Norse mythology, it indicates that a cycle is about to take place or is broken, an imminent end, even impossible.
As the symbol of royal power was the ring, Draupnir seems to be the origin of Odin's epithet Reginn ("Strong").
These rings (or perhaps bracelets) were used (gifts), then by Odin to Norsemen Ra, to appease their favors.
Magic power similar to that of Draupnir is attributed, in a late saga, to another cycle: GaInN ("He who goes").
Discover the Replica of the Odin's ring, Draupnir
In the story of Balderus working Saxo Grammaticus in Gesta Danorum III, there is mention, I-IV satyr of the forest, Mimingus, as well as his magical bracelet by the mysterious power to increase the wealth of the owner, likewise for Draupnir that multiplies every nine nights.
History of the Draupnir ring
It was made as a result of the setting in Loki that dwarves Eitri and Brokkr They would not have been able to make three ship objects of equal value Skidbladnir, made by "son of Ivaldi; the two dwarves went to their forge, and when he had forged Gullinbursti gold boar, Eitri, after putting the extra gold in the furnace, told his brother to continue without stopping blowing and he did this despite the sting of a fly, until his brother took Eitri to forge a magnificent ring, Draupnir precisely.
The last magical artifact that was forged by the Dwarves that day was the hammer Mjöllnir).He also mentioned in the Völuspá a dwarf named Draupnir, perhaps for the transfer, in progress of an object made by the dwarves.
Odin placed on the funeral pyre of his son Balder, as mentioned in Gylfaginning:
« A Thessi Brennu margs Konar þjóð Sous-ensembles: fyrst à segja frá ODNI, à honum með ok ok pour Frigg Valkyrjur Hrafnar hans. En Freyr ok kerru með gelti Theim er Gullinbursti heitir EDA Slíðrugtanni. En Heimdall REID hesti Theim er gulltopp heitir, en Freyja köttum sinum. Thar ok ok Komr Mikit de bergrisar de hrímþursa populaire. Odin lagði á Balit gullhring er Draupnir heitir Thann. Honum fylgði Sidan sú Nattura à Hina níundu hverja Nott drupu af honum Atta gullhringar jafnhöfgir. Hext Baldrs var leiddr Balit með Ollu reidi á. »
Translate to :
"This attendance was visited by people of all races, the first to speak is Odin, who has Frigg, the Valkyrjur and his ravens, while Freyr drove the chariot with the boar called Gullinbursti or Slíðrugtanni, Heimdall rode the horse called gulltopp and Freyja drove his cats. They came also many giants from the giants of the frost and the mountain. Óðinn put on the pyre that golden ring which is called Draupnir, which is of such a nature that every nine nights of this dripping eight golden rings of equal weight. The horse Balder finally put on the pyre with all the external signs. "
In this myth refer to the many kenningar that define eigandi Hringhorna ok Draupnis ("Possessor of hringhorni and Draupnir").
This artifact, although it is not clear whether this is actually in the hands of Freyr and Skirnir, it seems to be one of God's gifts to giant Gerdr to persuade her to become his wife, as mentioned in skírnismál 21:
« Skirnir kvad:
Baug ek tha ther gef,
Thann er var brendr
með ungom Odins Syni;
Atta était jafnhöfgir,
er af drjúpa
Ena la hverja Nott »
Translate to:
"Gerdr stated:
"A bracelet will not accept,
although he was burned at the stake
with the young son of Odin;
yet I do not miss
Gymir in the fortress,
Enough for me the wealth of his father. " "
(Poetic Edda - Skírnismál- The speech Skirnir XXI )
The ring, finally, returned to Odin from the hands of the same Baldr, through the intermediary hermóðr, fell kingdom of Hel to bring the god among Ases, as it is still reported in Gylfaginning 49:
« Tha hermóðr Stod UPP en Balder leiðir hann ÓR höllinni Tok út hringinn Draupni ok ok sendi ODNI jusqu'à Minja, en sendi Nanna Frigg ripti ok enn fleiri gjafar, Fullu fingrgull. »
Translate to:
"Hermóðr, then stood up and Baldr led him out of the Höll, Draupnir took the ring to send it to Odin as a souvenir, while Nanna sent Frigg a cloth and other gifts. A fulla sent instead of a gold ring. "
