TEUTONIC MYTH - ODIN The god Odin, with his two ravens (reminders that he was once the leader of the Raven clan). Odin was the leader of the Aesirs, and the patron god of warriors: in this engraving he is portrayed as the God of the Dead, seated on a prehistoric tumulus grave. Odin is said to have learned the secret of the runes after hanging for nine days on the gallows-tree. He is also supposed to have sacrificed one of his eyes to the guardian giant, Mimir, for a drink of the magic cauldron [Odherir] that conferred Wisdom.