Editing Vafþrúðnir (section)

==Parallels to literature and popular culture==
The structure of Odin's and Vafþrúðnir's encounter has parallels with the [[Gestumblindi]] and King Heidrek incident in the Norse [[Hervarar saga]] and ''[[The Hobbit]]’s'' “Riddles in the Dark” between Bilbo and Gollum.<ref>[[John Ronald Reuel Tolkien|Tolkien, J.]]</ref>   Many of the riddles in these events are alike and all end with the same type of question.<ref name=HONEGGER>Honegger, T. (2013).</ref> The riddle contest between King Heidrek and [[Gestumblindi]], Odin in disguise yet again, ends with the same question that he posed to Vafþrúðnir about his final words to Baldr.<ref>Turville-Petre, E. O. G.</ref> Bilbo’s final question to Gollum is about the contents of his pocket. Odin and Bilbo break the established structure of a riddle contest and ask a virtually impossible yet simply worded question instead of a riddle about an object or mythological event.  Gollum and King Heidrek were both angry and frustrated with their opponent.  King Heidrek becomes violent and swings his sword, [[Tyrfing]], at [[Odin]].  Gollum demands a total of three guesses due to the nature of Bilbo’s question.  This is in contrast to how Vafþrúðnir is depicted as being calm and accepting of his fate when bested by Odin. Thus, Odin's riddle contest with Vafþrúðnir influenced not only other works within Norse mythology, but also more modern works of literature such as ''[[The Hobbit]]''.