He was killed by two dwarves, Fjalar and Galar, who mixed his blood with honey to make a powerful mead that inspired any who drank it to speak with wisdom and poetry. Odin drank all the mead to gain its knowledge. He spilled a few drops which fell into Midgard and was said to be the source of all the bad poets and artists. Odin is said to give the mead to those he feels worthy and this is the source for all the great poets.