Beer of Oblivion

Another story of a elixir causing “the forget” is Tuoni’s beer of oblivion. Tuoni is the “host” of the underworld in Finnish mythology and would be similar to Hades but is not considered a god. The beer is served in golden goblets. At the top of the goblets is a frothy foam that hides the true contents. Inside the goblets is a black poison made of frogs, serpents, worms, and lizards. It is the nectar of a baneful magic-the potion of death.

In the story of Väinämöinen, Tuonetar (wife of Tuoni and mother of five daughters) uses a magic wand to put the shaman to sleep.

The person who drinks the elixir is told they will only sleep for a month but is, in fact, dead. Their knowledge of death is forgotten. That is not to say they will not remember events from their lives but they simply go about their business as though still alive for they forget the very act of dying.