Odin's Disappointment in Love

What happened when Odin fell in love?

In *The Sayings of the High One*, Odin tells of a time when love went wrong. He sat among the reeds, waiting for the woman he loved: Billing's daughter. As she slept in her bed, she shone as white as the sun. He felt that even a lord's happiness was worth nothing unless he could live with her.

She invites Odin to return toward evening, saying that no one else must learn about them. He believes he can win her heart completely. Full of hope, he leaves.

But when he returns that night, the warriors are awake. Lights are burning, too. He cannot make his way to the woman as he had hoped.

Near morning, he tries again. Everyone in the hall is asleep. In the bed, however, he finds a tethered dog in her place. He says he had tried to win her by trickery, only to be mocked in return. In the end, he never wins her.

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