The Vanir were an older race of Norse gods who warred with the Aesir for control of the world.
Finally, both sides concluded that the war was ruinous and agreed to peace.
To seal the agreement, the Vanir sent three gods, Frey, Freyja, and Njord, to live with the Aesir in Asgard.
To Vanaheim, the home of the Vanir, the Aesir sent Honrir, who was very handsome, and Mimir, who was Odin’s uncle and known for his wisdom and knowledge.
But soon the Vanir suspected that they had been cheated.
While Frey, Freyja, and Njord taught the Aesir valuable skills, Honrir appeared indecisive and foolish. especially when Mimir was absent.
Enraged, the Vanir cut off Mimir’s head and sent it to Asgard.
Odin immediately used his magic on the head, swabbing it with herbs to ward off decay and chanting spells to give it speech.
He then placed Mimir’s head at the Well of Knowledge, a magic pool of water below the main root of Yggdrasill.
The Well of Knowledge offered Mimir’s wisdom to anyone who drank from it.
