Which giantess guarded the mead of poetry?

The giantess who guarded the mead of poetry was Gunnlod. She was the daughter of the giant Suttungr, who kept the precious drink inside the mountain Hnitbjörg.

The mead was made from the blood of the wise being Kvasir after dwarfs killed him and mixed his blood with honey. Anyone who drank it gained poetic skill and knowledge. Odin wanted the mead for himself and for gifted poets.

In Snorri Sturluson's account, Odin worked for Suttungr's brother Baugi, then entered the mountain as a snake through a passage bored by the drill Rati. He spent three nights with Gunnlod, who allowed him three drinks. Odin emptied the three containers, changed into an eagle, and escaped while Suttungr pursued him.

Gunnlod is sometimes spelled Gunnlöð or Gunnlöd. A common mix-up is confusing her with Suttungr, who owned the mead, or with Odin, who stole it. The myth is also told differently in Hávamál, where Gunnlod receives more individual attention.