Significance of the number 9 in Norse mythology?

Question

I've read a lot of Norse mythology and there's some kind of significance to this number. One of the gods rode 9 days to get to Hel to ask for Baldr's life back. Thor took 9 steps after slaying the midgard serpent before dying himself. Odin's ring made 9 more of itself each night. Probably are others I'm forgetting. I've never found in any book on the topic what the significance of that number was to their culture, though. Anyone know?

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_in_Norse_mythology


This is what i found. well one of the things i found that actually made a little sense anyway

Answer 2

I don't know specifically, but nine is a significant number in many ancient cultures and it could just be that because the Norse people traveled around alot, they picked it up from somewhere else.