The Prose Edda (7 page)

Then Gangleri said, ‘How does he steer the course of the sun and the moon?'

High said: ‘There was a man named Mundilfari who had two children. They were so fair and beautiful that he called one Moon [Mani] and the other, a daughter, he called Sun [Sol], marrying her to the man named Glen. But the gods were angered by this arrogance, and they took the brother and sister and placed them up in the heavens. There they made Sun drive the horses that drew the chariot of the sun, which the gods, in order to illuminate the worlds, had created from burning embers flying from Muspellsheim. The horses are called Arvak and Alsvinn. In order to cool them, the gods placed two bellows under their shoulders; according to some lore, the bellows are called Isarnkol. Mani guides the path of the moon and controls its waxing and waning. He took from the earth two children named Bil and Hjuki. They had been walking from the well called Byrgir, carrying between them on their shoulders the
pole called Simul with the pail called Soeg. Vidfinn was the name of their father. These children follow Mani, as can be seen from the earth.'

Then Gangleri asked, ‘The sun moves quickly and it is almost as though she fears something. She cannot go faster on her journey even if she were afraid of her own death.'

In the East the old one lives
²
in Iron Wood
and there she bears
Fenrir's brood [the wolves].

From all of them comes
one in particular,
the ruin of the moon
in the shape of a troll.

He gorges himself on the life
of doomed men,
reddens the gods' dwelling
with crimson gore.
Dark goes the sunshine,
for summers after,
the weather all vicious.
Do you know now or what?'

(
The Sibyl's Prophecy. 40–41
)

Then Gangleri said, ‘What is the path from the earth to the sky?'

Then, snickering, High answered: ‘Your question shows little knowledge. Haven't you heard that the gods built a bridge from the earth to the sky and it is called Bifrost? You will have seen it, and possibly you call it the rainbow. It has three colours and great strength, and it is made with more skill and knowledge than other constructions. Sturdy though it is, it will break when the sons of Muspell ride over it [at Ragnarok]. Then their horses will swim across great rivers and so they will advance.'

Then Gangleri said, ‘Since they can do whatever they wish, it seems to me that the gods did not build the bridge reliably if it will break.'

High replied, ‘The gods deserve no blame for the construction. Bifrost is a sound bridge, but nothing in this world can be trusted when the sons of Muspell attack.'

Then Gangleri said: ‘What did All-Father do, once Asgard was built?'

High replied, ‘In the beginning he assigned rulers, asking them to judge with him people's fate and to oversee the arrangements of the stronghold. This was done at the place called Idavoll [Eternally Renewing Field] in the middle of the strong-hold.
¹
Their first task was to build the temple where they placed their seats – twelve in addition to All-Father's throne. That building is the best and the largest on earth. Outside and inside everything seems to be made of gold, and the place is called Gladsheim [Home of Joy]. They built a second hall, a sanctuary, which belonged to the goddesses,
²
and it was exceptionally beautiful. People call this building Vingolf [Friendly Quarters].

‘Next they set up forges and made hammer, tongs and anvil, and with these they fashioned all other tools. Following this, they worked metal, stone, wood and great quantities of gold, such that all their furniture and household utensils were of gold. That age is called the Golden Age before it was spoiled by the arrival of the women who came from Giant Land.
³

‘Next the gods took their places on their thrones. They issued their judgments and remembered where the dwarves had come to life in the soil under the earth, like maggots in flesh. The dwarves emerged first, finding life in Ymir's flesh. They were maggots at that time, but by a decision of the gods they acquired human understanding and assumed the likeness of men, living in the earth and the rocks. Modsognir was a dwarf and Durin another. So it says in
The Sibyl's Prophecy
:

Then all the powerful gods went
to their thrones of fate,
the most sacred gods, and
decided among themselves
that a troop of dwarves
should be created
from the waves of blood
⁴
and from Blain's limbs.
There in men's likeness
were made many
dwarves in the earth,
as Durin said.       (
The Sibyl's Prophecy. 9–10
)

‘And these, says the prophetess, are the names of these dwarves:

Nyi, Nidi,
Nordri, Sudri,
Austri, Vestri,
Althjolf, Dvalin,
Nar, Nain,
Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bafur,
Bombor, Nori,
Ori, Onar,
Oin, Modvitnir,
Vig and Gandalf,
Vindalf, Thorin,
Fili, Kili,
Fundin, Vali,
Thror, Throin,
Thekk, Lit, Vitr,
Nyr, Nyrad,
Rekk, Radsvinn.      (
The Sibyl's Prophecy. 11–13
)

‘But these, too, are dwarves and they live in the rocks, whereas those mentioned before live in the ground:
⁵

Draupnir, Dolgthvari,
Haur, Hugstari,
Hledjolf, Gloin,
Dori, Ori,
Duf, Andvari,
Heptifili,
Har, Siar.       (
The Sibyl's Prophecy. 13
and
15
⁶
)

‘These came from Svarin's mound to Joruvellir [Pebble Plains] at Aurvangar [Mud Fields], and Lofar is descended from them. These are their names:

Skirpir, Virpir,
Skafinn, Ai,
Alf, Ingi,
Eikinskjaldi,
Fal, Frosti,
Finn, Ginnar.'       (
The Sibyl's Prophecy. 15–16
)

Then Gangleri said, ‘Where is the central or holy place of the gods?'

Odin, I know all,
where you hid the eye
in that famous
Well of Mimir.
Each morning
Mimir drinks mead
from Val-Father's pledge.
Do you know now or what?

(
The Sibyl's Prophecy. 28
)

‘The third root of the ash is in heaven, and under that root is the very holy well called the Well of Urd. There the gods have their place of judgment. Every day the Æsir ride up over Bifrost, which is also called Asbru [Bridge of the Æsir]. The horses of the Æsir are named as follows: Sleipnir [Fast Traveller] is the best; Odin owns him, and he has eight legs. The second is Glad, the third Gyllir, the fourth Glaer, the fifth Skeidbrimir, the sixth Silfrtopp, the seventh Sinir, the eighth Gils, the ninth Falhofnir, the tenth Gulltopp and the eleventh is Lettfeti. Baldr's horse was burned with him. Thor, however, walks to the court; wading those rivers named as follows:

Kormt and Ormt
and the two Kerlaugs,
through these Thor will
wade each day
when he goes to judge
at the ash Yggdrasil,
because the bridge of the Æsir
burns with fire –
holy waters seethe.'       (
The Lay of Grimnir. 29
)

Then Gangleri said, ‘Does fire burn over Bifrost?'

High replied: ‘The red you see in the rainbow is the burning fire. The frost giants and the mountain giants would scale
heaven if Bifrost could be travelled by all who wanted to do so. There are many beautiful places in heaven and everything is divinely protected. A handsome hall stands under the ash beside the well. Out of this hall come three maidens, who are called Urd [Fate], Verdandi [Becoming] and Skuld
²
[Obligation]. These maidens shape men's lives. We call them the norns. There are yet more norns, those who come to each person at birth to decide the length of one's life, and these are related to the gods. Others are descended from the elves, and a third group comes from the dwarves, as is said here:

Born of very different parents
I believe the norns are,
they do not share kinship.
Some are of the Æsir,
Some are of the elves,
Some are the daughters of Dvalin.'

(
The Lay of Fafnir. 13
)

Then Gangleri said, ‘If the norns decide the fates of men, then they do so in a terribly uneven manner. Some people enjoy a good and prosperous life, whereas others have little wealth or renown. Some have a long life, but others, a short one.'

High said: ‘The good norns, the ones who are well born, shape a good life. When people experience misfortune, it is the bad norns who are responsible.'

Then Gangleri said, ‘What more of importance can be said about the ash?'

High replied, ‘There is much to be told. An eagle sits in the branches of the ash, and it has knowledge of many things. Between its eyes sits the hawk called Vedrfolnir [Wind Bleached]. The squirrel called Ratatosk [Drill Tooth] runs up
and down the ash. He tells slanderous gossip, provoking the eagle and Nidhogg. Four stags called Dain, Dvalin, Duneyr and Durathror move about in the branches of the ash, devouring the tree's foliage.
¹
In Hvergelmir there are so many serpents with Nidhogg that no tongue can count them. As it says here:

The ash Yggdrasil
endures hardship,
more than men know.
A stag bites from above
and its sides rot;
From below Nidhogg gnaws.

(
The Lay of Grimnir. 35
)

‘So it is said:

More snakes
lie under the ash Yggdrasil
than any old fool imagines.
Goin and Moin,
they are Grafvitnir's sons,
Grabak and Grafvollud, and
Ofnir and Svafnir
will always, I believe,
eat away the tree's shoots.

(
The Lay of Grimnir. 34
)

‘It is also said that those norns who live beside Urd's Well draw water every day from the spring and that they splash this, mixed with the mud that lies beside the well, over the ash so that its branches will not wither or decay. That water is so sacred that all things which come into the spring become as white as the membrane called
skjall
[skin] which lies on the inside of the eggshell. As it says here:

I know an ash,
it is called Yggdrasil,
a high, holy tree,
splashed and coated with white clay.
From it come the dews
that fall in the valleys.
It will always stand
green over Urd's Well.       (
The Sibyl's Prophecy. 19
)

‘People call the dew, which falls to the earth, honey dew, and bees feed on it. Two birds nourish themselves in the Well of Urd. These are called swans, and from them comes the species of bird with that name.'

Then Gangleri said, ‘You know much to tell about the heavens. Are there other significant places besides the one at Urd's Well?'

High said, ‘There are many magnificent places there. One is called Alfheim [Elf World]. The people called the light elves live there, but the dark elves live down below in the earth. They are different from the light elves in appearance, and far more so in nature. The light elves are more beautiful than the sun, while the dark elves are blacker than pitch. One place is named Breidablik [Gleaming Far and Wide], and no place there is more beautiful. There also is the place called Glitnir [Radiant Place]; its walls, columns and pillars are of red gold, and its roof is of silver. Then there is that place called Himinbjorg. It stands at heaven's end, right at the far edge of the bridge where Bifrost enters heaven. There is also the great place called Valaskjalf; it belongs to Odin. The gods built it and roofed it with pure silver. Inside this hall is Hlidskjalf, as this throne is called. When All-Father sits in this seat, he sees over all the world.