Американские боги
Chapter 3
HesangofOdin,theAll-Father,whowassacrificedtohimselfasbravelyandasnoblyasothersweresacrificedtohim.HesangoftheninedaysthattheAll-Fatherhungfromtheworld-tree,hissidepiercedanddrippingfromthespear-point’swound,andhesangthemallthethingstheAll-Fatherhadlearnedinhisagony:ninenames,andninerunes,andtwice-ninecharms.WhenhetoldthemofthespearpiercingOdin’sside,thebardshriekedinpainastheAll-Fatherhimselfhadcalledoutinhisagony,andallthemenshivered,imagininghispain.
Theyfoundthescraelingthefollowingday,whichwastheall-father’sownday.Hewasasmallman,hislonghairblackasacrow’swing,hisskinthecolorofrichredclay.Hespokeinwordsnoneofthemcouldunderstand,noteventheirbard,whohadbeenonashipthathadsailedthroughthepillarsofHerculesandwhocouldspeakthetrader’spidginmenspokeallacrosstheMediterranean.Thestrangerwasdressedinfeathersandinfurs,andthereweresmallbonesbraidedintohislonghair.
Theyledhimintotheirencampment,andtheygavehimroastedmeattoeat,andstrongdrinktoquenchhisthirst.Theylaughedriotouslyatthemanashestumbledandsang,atthewayhisheadrolledandlolled,andthisonlessthanadrinking-hornofmead.Theygavehimmoredrink,andsoonenoughhelaybeneaththetablewithhisheadcurledunderhisarm.
