Odin, "God of the Slain" and "All-Father" lives throughout all ages ruling his kingdom absolutely, governing all things great and small. He fashioned Heaven and Earth and is also credited for creating Man and giving him an immortal spirit "which shall never perish though the body crumble to dust or burn to ashes". Odin is also the patron god of poetry and one of his poems slithers in the form of a serpent in high relief on the cap of the Valhalla Collection. Literally translated from runic script, the poem reads "he who would read the sacred runes is wise to waste no words". Odin's name is the basis for our modern day Wednesday (Odinsdag).