The Norse Creation Story How the world came

The Norse Creation Story How the world came to be

The worlds • Niflheim – Land of ice and snow – Spring Hvergelmir • Source of the Elivagar (Eleven Rivers) – – – – Cool Svol Defiant Gunnthra Fjorm Bubbling Fimbulthul Fearsome Slid Storming Hrid, Sylg, and Ylg Broad Vid and Leipt Freezing Gjoll • Muspell – Land of fire – Home of the fire-demon Black Surt • Brandishes a flaming sword and waits for the end of time • Ginnungagap – Void between the two worlds

Frost Giants • Creation – When the rime from Niflheim and the warm air from Muspell collided, two beings were created • Ymir the frost giant – – Was “evil from the first” Fed off of the milk from Audumla He gave birth to all the other frost giants They called him Aurgelmir • Audumla the cow – She fed off the ice – Licked out a man from the ice called Buri

Allfather • Odin – Grandson of Buri – Son of Bor and the frost giant Bestla – Two brothers: Vili and Ve – Hated Ymir and his gang of unruly, brutal frost giants • He and his brothers killed Ymir • The blood that streamed from his wounds drowned all the other frost giants except Bergelmir and his wife

Shaping of the world • The parts of Ymir – Skull: The sky • Held up by four dwarves; North, East, South, and West – Flesh: The earth • • • Unbroken bones: The mountains Broken bones, teeth, and jaws: Rocks, boulders, and stones Blood: Lakes and the sea Eyebrows: Enclosure around Jotunheim Brains: Every type of cloud • Other elements – Sparks from Muspell: Stars, sun, and moon – An ash and elm tree: The first man (Ask) and woman (Embla) – Maggots: Dwarves

Shaping of time • Night and son Day – Placed in chariots to move over the world – Night’s horse: frosty-maned Hrimfaxi – Day’s horse: gleaming-maned Shinfaxi • Sun and Moon – Daughter and son of man named Mundilfari – So beautiful that Odin and brothers snatched them up and placed in sky to guide the chariots of the sun and moon • Moon does not travel alone but swooped down and took two children, Bil and Hjuki • Chased by two wolves that are sons of a giantess who lived in Iron Wood – Sun is chased by Skoll – Moon is chased by Hati

Plains • Asgard – A place for the gods of green plains and shining palaces • Linked to Midgard by Bifrost: A flamming rainbow bridge • Place where Valhalla sits – Hall of the slain warriors • Midgard – The world where men, dwarves, and giants live • Jotunheim is the land of giants that is seperated by mountains to protect mankind • Yggdrasill – Ash tree that shelters all of creation – Roots plunge deep into the different plains and binds them all together

Yggdrasill • Roots – Niflheim • Spring Hvergelmir – Midgard (Jotunheim) • Well guarded by Mimir (Head of Mimir) – Anyone who tastes the waters is given much wisdom – Odin sacrafice one eye for a drink from it – Heimdall left his horn next to it to sum all creatures to Ragnorok – Asgard • Well of Urd (Spring of destiny) – Gods hold court of justice there – The Three Norns (Fates) » Fate, Being, and Necessity

Yggdrasill (cont. ) • Inhabitants – Nidhogg • Lives in Niflheim ripping apart the dead • Chews at the root of Yggdrasill • Sends Ratatosk up the tree to insult the eagle sitting in the branches – Ratatosk • Squirrel that runs up and down the tree – Eagle in the highest branches with a hawk on its brow – Four stags nibble at the leaves – Goats eat the tender shoots • Condition – Yggdrasill is constantly attacked; starting to soften and rot