Quarter 1 Week 5 Lesson 3 (Odin's Eye)

Would you give up your eye for one billion
pesos?
What are the sacrifices that you did for your

loved ones?
Is sacrifice a measure of love? Why?

HOW ODIN LOST HIS EYE
Retold by Catherine F. Sellew
THOR and LOKI
Once the world was still very young. Odin sat on
his throne in the most beautiful palace in Asgard.
His throne was so high that he could see over all
three parts of the world from where he sat. On his
head he wore a helmet shaped like an eagle. On
his shoulder perched two black ravens called
Memory and Thought. And at his feet crouched two
snarling wolves.
The great king gazed thoughtfully down on the
earth below him. He had made the green land
that stretched out before his eyes. With the help
of the other gods he had made men and women
who lived on that earth. And he felt truly like the
All- father he was called.
The fair elves had promised they would help his
children of the earth. The elves were tiny people
who lived between heaven and earth. They were
so small that they flit about doing their work
unseen. Odin knew that they were the artists who
painted the flowers and made the beds for the
streams. They took care of all the bees and
butterflies. And it was the elves that brought the
gentle rain and sun shine to the earth.
Even the ugly dwarfs, who lived in the heart of the
mountains, agreed to help. They forged iron and
metals, made tools and weapons. They dug gold
and silver, and beautiful jewels out of the earth.
Sometimes they even cut the grain and ground
the flour for the farmers on the earth.
All seem to be going well. Odin found it hard to
think of evil times. But he knew that the frost
giants were only waiting for the chance to bring
trouble to his children. They were the ones who
brought cold and ice to the world and shook the
earth in anger. They hated Odin and all the
works of the gods.
And from high on his throne Odin looked down
beyond the earth deep into the gloomy land of his
enemies. He saw dark figures of huge men
moving about. They looked like evil shadows. He,
the king of gods, needs to have more wisdom. It
was not enough just to see his enemies. He ought
to know more about them.
So, Odin wrapped his tall figure in a blue cloak.
Down from his throne, he climbed. Down the
broad rainbow bridge, he strode and across the
green earth till he came to one of the roots of the
great evergreen tree. There, close by the tree,
was a well full of clear water. Its surface was so
still it was like a mirror. In it one could see pictures
of things that had happened and things that were
going to happen.
But beside the well sat an old man. His face was
lined with the troubles of the world. His name was
Mimir, which means “memory.” No one, not even
the great Odin, could see the pictures in the well
unless he first drank some of its water. Only
Mimir could give the magic drink.
“Aged Mimir,” Odin said to the old man, “You
who hold the knowledge of the past and the
future in your magic waters, let me have but one
sip. Then, I can know enough to protect the men
and women of the earth from the hate of the
giants.”
Mimir looked kindly at Odin, but he did not smile.
Athough he spoke softly, his voice was so deep it
reminded Odin of the distant roar of the ocean.
“The price of one drink from this well is not
cheap,” Mimir said. “And once you have drunk
and gazed into the mirror of life, you may wish
you had not. For sorrow and death as well as joy
are pictured there so you should think again
before you ask to drink.”
But once the king of the gods had made up his
mind, nothing could change it. He was not afraid
to look upon sorrow and death.
“What is your price aged Mimir?” Odin asked.
“You are great and good, Odin,” answered Mimir. “You have
worked hard to make the world. Only those who know hard
work may drink from my well. However, that is not enough.
What have you given up that is very dear to you? What have
you sacrificed? The price of a drink must be a great sacrifice.
Are you still willing to pay the price?”
What could the king of the gods sacrifice? What was most
dear to him? Odin thought of his handsome son, Balder,
whom he loved most in the world. To give up his son would be
like giving up life and all that was wonderful around him. Odin
stood silent before Mimir. Indeed that would be a high price!
Then, Mimir spoke again. He had read Odin’s
thoughts.
“No, I am not asking for your dear son. The fates
say his life must be short, but he has time yet to
live and bring happiness to the gods and the
world. I ask for one of your eyes.”
Odin put his hands up to his bright blue eyes. Those
two eyes had gazed across the world from his high
throne in the shining city of the gods. His eyes had
taught him what was good and beautiful. What was
evil and ugly? But those eyes had also seen his
children, the men and women of the earth, struggling
against the hate of the giants. One eye was a small
sacrifice to win knowledge of how to help them. And
without another thought, Odin plucked out one of his
blue eyes and handed it to Mimir.
Then, Mimir smiled and gave Odin a horn full of
the waters of his well
“Drink deeply, brave king, so you may see all

that you wish in the mirror of life.”
Odin lifted the horn to his lips and drank. Then,
he knelt by the edge of the well and watched the
pictures passing across its still and silent
surface. When he stood up again, he sighed, for
it was as Mimir had said. He had seen sorrow
and death as well as joy. It was only the glorious
promise at the end that gave him courage to go
on.
So Odin, the great king of the gods, became
one-eyed. If you can find Mimir’s well, you
will see Odin’s blue eye resting at the bottom.
It is there to remind men and women of the
great sacrifice he made for them.
“Sometimes when you sacrifice something
precious, you're not really losing it. You're just
passing it on to someone else.”
― Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in
Heaven

Quarter 1 Week 5 Lesson 3 (Odin's Eye)

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Quarter 1 Week 5 Lesson 3 (Odin's Eye)

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Would you give up your eye for one billion

What are the sacrifices that you did for your

Is sacrifice a measure of love? Why?

“Drink deeply, brave king, so you may see all

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