Draupnir: God Odin’s Magical Ring That Could Multiply Itself

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Draupnir was a magical ring that belonged to God Odin. In Norse mythology, there are many references to special rings that possess unique qualities and powers.

Dwarfs produced magical rings and often gave them as gifts to the gods and goddesses. Some Norse artifacts were so precious that they were stolen. For example, Andvaranaut, a magical ring that could produce gold, was stolen by the Norse God Loki from the shape-shifting dwarf Andvari.

Draupnir was one of the most powerful rings in Norse mythology. Credit: Adobe Stock - dragomirescu

Draupnir, on the other hand, was a magical ring with the ability to multiply itself.

Norse myths and legends tell that every ninth night, eight other rings dropped from Draupnir, each as heavy and bright as the first. Over time, this one ring could make any man or god extremely wealthy. The ring was precious beyond compare.

Draupnir was an emblem of fertility, and the magical ring was forged by the dwarfs Eitri and Brokkr. Brokkr presented himself before the gods in Asgard, the kingdom of the Norse gods, and he gave God Odin the ring Draupnir.

Draupnir was one of three gifts made by the dwarf brothers. The other two were Mjölnir, God Thor’s terrible axe hammer, and God Frey’s Gullinbursti, a golden boar that plowed the Earth and made it green.

The gifts were produced because of a bet. God Loki said the Brokkr and Eitri could not make better gifts than the three made by the Sons of Ivaldi, who had produced Skidbladnir, the magical ship of Freyr, and the Gungnir, the spear of Odin, as well as golden hair for Sif to replace what Loki had cut off.

Determined to show that he and his brother could make three equal objects, Brokkr created the Draupnir ring, Mjölnir hammer, and Gullinbursti.

Brokkr and his brother Etri presented their gifts at Asgard. 

The presented objects were examined at Asgard, and in the end, Brokkr and Ertri won the contest. Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir, was so impressive that no one could doubt the skills of the dwarf brothers Brokkr and Ertri. The magical hammer was the most powerful treasure of all, for it could guard the gods against the giants.

Brokkr claimed that he was the winner of the bet and that Loki owed him his head, but as usual, God Loki used cunning tricks and escaped with nothing worse than sore lips when Brokkr tried to sew up his wicked mouth.

God Odin wore the precious ring on his arm.

In “Balder’s Funeral” God Odin placed Draupnir on the funeral pyre, but the ring it was returned to him by Hermod, the messenger god who had gone to the underworld to try to bring Balder back to the living.

Updated on February 5. 2024

Written by Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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