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This ones yggdrassil and how odin became the wisest of all.

The great ash tree yggdrassil made far spreading shade in the summer, protection from the rain in spring, and a great wind block in the frozen winters. No man could ever remember when it was young. Children would plau under its branches, then grow strong adults and then would become old and weary and die. But it showed no signs of decay. It would preserve its beauty and freshness for as long as there were men to gaze upon it. The great tree touched and connected all the realms, one branch went down to the unseeable depths of hel, The dwelling place of the dead, another stretched to jotunheim, the dreary dwelling of the frost giants, The third grasped midgard. The home of men. Serpents worms and insects would always be gnawing on its branches, but they would never weaken. And its top boughs held up asgard itself. Rustling against valhalla, the resting place of the heroes. Who had done great deeds in battle and who shall always be honored. And at the foot Of the great tree sat the norns, the weavers of the web of fate. Every day the norns would sprinkle the tree with the water of life, and keep it forever green.In the top branch sat an eagle singing strange songs about the birth of the worlds , its decay and then its death.
The giants were older than the gods, so the gods often had to go to them for wisdom.. But then the gods became wiser than the giants, or else they would have ceased to be gods and would have been wiped out by the giants long ago.
When the world was young and odin was anxious for knowledge he went to yggdrassil itself, and the keeper of the well was a very old and wise giant named mimer, and he gave no drinks ou until he was well paid. The well was full of the water of wisdom and whoever drank it became instantly, insanely wise. ''give me a drink of this water'' odin said, gazing into its clear, fathomless depths. Mimer could remember everything that ever happened and his eyes were calm as the stars. His face was Noble and restful, and his long white beard flowed down to his waist. This water is only to be had at a great price," he said in a wonderfully sweet, majestic tone. "I cannot give to all who ask, but only to those who are able and willing to give greatly in return," he continued. If odin had been less of a god he would have bargained but he was so godlike he cared morefor wisdom than anything else. "i will give anything you ask" he said. Mimer replied "you must leave behind an eye" odin had a great draught of water and left rejoicing. But he left behind an eye. But even the gods cant become wise without sacrifice. So Odin became the wisest in all the worlds, and there was no god or giant that could contend with him. There was one giant, however, who was called all-wise in Jotunheim, with whom many had contended in knowledge, with curious and difficult questions, and had always been silenced and killed, for then, as now, a man's life often depended on his wisdom. Of this giant, Vafthrudner, and his wisdom many wonderful stories were told, and even among the gods his fame was great. One day as Odin sat thinking of many strange things in the worlds, and many mysterious things in the future, he thought of Vafthrudner. "I will go to Jotunheim and measure wisdom with Vafthrudner, the wisest of the giants," said he to Frigg, his wife, who was sitting by. Then Frigg remembered those who had gone to contend with the all-wise giant and had never come back, and a fear came over her that the same fate might befall Odin. "You are wisest in all the worlds, All-Father," she said; "why should you seek a treacherous giant who knows not half so much as you?" But Odin, who feared nothing, could not be persuaded to stay, and Frigg sadly said good-by as he passed out of Asgard on his journey to Jotunheim. His blue mantle set with stars and his golden helmet he left behind him, and as he journeyed swiftly those who met him saw nothing godlike in him; nor did Vafthrudner when at last he stood at the giant's door. "I am a simple traveller, Gangraad by name," he said, as Vafthrudner came gruffly toward him. "I ask your hospitality and a chance to strive with you in wisdom." The giant laughed scornfully at the thought of a man coming to contend with him for mastery in knowledge.
"You shall have all you want of it," he growled, "and if you cannot answer my questions you shall never go hence alive."
He did not even ask Odin to sit down, but let him stand in the hall, despising him too much to show him courtesy. After a time he began to ask questions.
"Tell me, if you can, O wise Gangraad, the name of the river which divides Asgard from Jotunheim."
"The river Ifing, which never freezes over," answered Odin quickly, as if it were the easiest question in the world; and indeed it was to him, although no man could have answered it. Vafthrudner looked up in great surprise when he heard the reply.
"Good," he said, "you have answered rightly. Tell me, now, the names of the horses that carry day and night across the sky."
Before the words were fairly spoken Odin replied, "Skinfaxe and Hrimfaxe." The giant could not conceal his surprise that a man should know these things.
"Once more," he said quickly, as if he were risking everything on one question; "tell me the name of the plain where the Last Battle will be fought."
This was a terrible question, for the Last Battle was still far off in the future, and only the gods and the greatest of the giants knew where and when it would come. Odin bowed his head when he heard the words, for to be ready for that battle was the divine work of his life, and then said, slowly and solemnly, "On the plain of Vigrid, which is one hundred miles on each side."
Vafthrudner rose trembling from his seat. He knew now that Gangraad was some great one in disguise, and that his own life hung on the answers he himself would soon be forced to make.
"Sit here beside me," he said, "for, whoever you are, worthier antagonist has never entered these walls."
Then they sat down together in the rude stone hall, the mightiest of the gods and the wisest of the giants, and the great contest in wisdom, with a life hanging in either scale, went on between them. Wonderful secrets of the time when no man was and the time when no man will be, those silent walls listened to as Vafthrudner asked Odin one deep question after another, the answer coming swiftly and surely.
After a time the giant could ask no more, for he had exhausted his wisdom.
"It is my turn now," said Odin, and one after another he drew out from Vafthrudner the events of the past, then the wonderful things of the race of giants, and finally he began to question him of that dim, mysterious future whose secrets only the gods know; and as he touched these wonderful things Odin's eyes began to flash, and his form began to grow larger and nobler until he seemed no longer the humble Gangraad, but the mighty god [35] he was, and Vafthrudner trembled as he felt the coming doom nearing him with every question.
So hours went by, until at last Odin paused in his swift questioning, stooped down and asked the giant, "What did Odin whisper in the ear of Balder as he ascended the funeral pile?"
Only Odin himself could answer this question, and Vafthrudner replied humbly and with awe, "Who but thyself, All-father, knoweth the words thou didst say to thy son in the days of old? I have brought my doom upon myself, for in my ignorance I have contended with wisdom itself. Thou art ever the wisest of all."
So Odin conquered, and Wisdom was victorious, as she always has been even when she has contended with giants.