Draupnir
In Norse mythology, Draupnir (Old Norse "the dripper") is a gold ring possessed by the god Odin with the ability to multiply itself. Draupnir was forged by the dwarven brothers Brokkr and Eitri (or Sindri). Brokkr and Eitri made this ring as one of a set of three gifts which included Mjöllnir (Thor's hammer, "capable of leveling mountains") and Gullinbursti ("a boar which had bristles in its mane that glowed in the dark"). They made these gifts in accordance with a wager Loki made saying that Brokk and Eitri could not make better gifts than the three made by the Sons of Ivaldi. In the end Mjöllnir, Thor's hammer, won the contest for Brokkr and Eitri. Loki used a loophole to get out of the wager for his head (the wager was for Loki's head only, but he argued that , to remove his head, they would have to injure his neck, which was not in the bargain) and Brokk punished him by sealing his lips shut with wire.
The ring was placed by Odin on the funeral pyre of his son Baldr:
Odin laid upon the pyre the gold ring called Draupnir; this quality attended it: that every ninth night there fell from it eight gold rings of equal weight.
-- from the Gylfaginning
The ring was subsequently retrieved by Hermóðr. It was offered as a gift by Freyr's servant Skírnir in the wooing of Gerðr, which is described in the poem Skírnismál. (The symbolic meaning of this is quite clear: from bragging rights to money, all is conquered by love.)
(Source: Wikipedia entry on Draupnir)
Skírnismál
The prose prologue to the poem says that the god Freyr, the son of Njörðr, sits in Odin's throne, Hliðskjálf and looked over all the worlds. On looking to Jötunheimr, the land of the giants, Freyr sees a beautiful girl and is immediately seized by love. Fearing that the object of his heart's desire is unattainable, gloom settles upon him.
The poem itself starts with the wife of Njörðr, bidding Skírnir to ask of Freyr why he is so sad. Skírnir, fearing his master's wrath, nevertheless does as he is bidden. Freyr's response is sullen, yet he pours his heart out. Skírnir agrees to undertake a journey to woo Gerðr, and Freyr furnishes him with his magical steed and sword.
Skírnir duly fetches up in Jötunheimr, at the hall of the giant Gymir. Gerðr, the daughter of Gymir bids him enter the hall; without further ado, Skírnir tries to woo Gerðr on Freyr's behalf, offering first gifts then threats. Eventually, Gerðr succumbs.
(Source: Wikipedia entry on Skírnismál)
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