The Younger Edda Part 3

11. Then said Ganglere: How does he steer the course of the sun and the moon? Answered Har: Mundilfare hight the man who had two children. They were so fair and beautiful that he called his son Moon, and his daughter, whom he gave in marriage to a man by name Glener, he called Sun. But the G.o.ds became wroth at this arrogance, took both the brother and the sister, set them up in heaven, and made Sun drive the horses that draw the car of the sun, which the G.o.ds had made to light up the world from sparks that flew out of Muspelheim. These horses hight Arvak and Alsvid. Under their withers the G.o.ds placed two wind-bags to cool them, but in some songs it is called ironcold (isarnkol). Moon guides the course of the moon, and rules its waxing and waning. He took from the earth two children, who hight Bil and Hjuke, as they were going from the well called Byrger, and were carrying on their shoulders the bucket called Sager and the pole Simul. Their father's name is Vidfin. These children always accompany Moon, as can be seen from the earth.

12. Then said Ganglere: Swift fares Sun, almost as if she were afraid, and she could make no more haste in her course if she feared her destroyer. Then answered Har: Nor is it wonderful that she speeds with all her might. Near is he who pursues her, and there is no escape for her but to run before him. Then asked Ganglere: Who causes her this toil? Answered Har: It is two wolves. The one hight Skol, he runs after her; she fears him and he will one day overtake her. The other hight Hate, Hrodvitner's son; he bounds before her and wants to catch the moon, and so he will at last.[20] Then asked Ganglere: Whose offspring are these wolves? Said Har; A hag dwells east of Midgard, in the forest called Jarnved (Ironwood), where reside the witches called Jarnvidjes.

The old hag gives birth to many giant sons, and all in wolf's likeness.

Thence come these two wolves. It is said that of this wolf-race one is the mightiest, and is called Moongarm. He is filled with the life-blood of all dead men. He will devour the moon, and stain the heavens and all the sky with blood. Thereby the sun will be darkened, the winds will grow wild, and roar hither and thither, as it is said in the Prophecy of the Vala:

In the east dwells the old hag, In the Jarnved forest; And brings forth there Fenrer's offspring.

There comes of them all One the worst, The moon's devourer In a troll's disguise.

He is filled with the life-blood Of men doomed to die; The seats of the G.o.ds He stains with red gore; Sunshine grows black The summer thereafter, All weather gets fickle.

Know you yet or not?[21]

[Footnote 20: That wolves follow the sun and moon, is a wide-spread popular superst.i.tion. In Sweden, a parhelion is called Solvarg (sun-wolf).]

[Footnote 21: Elder Edda: The Vala's Prophecy, 43, 44.]

13. Then asked Ganglere: What is the path from earth to heaven? Har answered, laughing: Foolishly do you now ask. Have you not been told that the G.o.ds made a bridge from earth to heaven, which is called Bifrost? You must have seen it. It may be that you call it the rainbow.

It has three colors, is very strong, and is made with more craft and skill than other structures. Still, however strong it is, it will break when the sons of Muspel come to ride over it, and then they will have to swim their horses over great rivers in order to get on. Then said Ganglere: The G.o.ds did not, it seems to me, build that bridge honestly, if it shall be able to break to pieces, since they could have done so, had they desired. Then made answer Har: The G.o.ds are worthy of no blame for this structure. Bifrost is indeed a good bridge, but there is no thing in the world that is able to stand when the sons of Muspel come to the fight.

CHAPTER VI.

THE FIRST WORKS OF THE ASAS. THE GOLDEN AGE.

14. Then said Ganglere: What did Alfather do when Asgard had been built?

Said Har: In the beginning he appointed rulers in a place in the middle of the burg which is called Idavold, who were to judge with him the disputes of men and decide the affairs of the burg. Their first work was to erect a court, where there were seats for all the twelve, and, besides, a high-seat for Alfather. That is the best and largest house ever built on earth, and is within and without like solid gold. This place is called Gladsheim. Then they built another hall as a home for the G.o.ddesses, which also is a very beautiful mansion, and is called Vingolf. Thereupon they built a forge; made hammer, tongs, anvil, and with these all other tools. Afterward they worked in iron, stone and wood, and especially in that metal which is called gold. All their household wares were of gold. That age was called the golden age, until it was lost by the coming of those women from Jotunheim. Then the G.o.ds set themselves in their high-seats and held counsel. They remembered how the dwarfs had quickened in the mould of the earth like maggots in flesh. The dwarfs had first been created and had quickened in Ymer's flesh, and were then maggots; but now, by the decision of the G.o.ds, they got the understanding and likeness of men, but still had to dwell in the earth and in rocks. Modsogner was one dwarf and Durin another. So it is said in the Vala's Prophecy:

Then went all the G.o.ds, The all-holy G.o.ds, On their judgment seats, And thereon took counsel Who should the race Of dwarfs create From the b.l.o.o.d.y sea And from Blain's bones.

In the likeness of men Made they many Dwarfs in the earth, As Durin said.

And these, says the Vala, are the names of the dwarfs:

Nye, Nide, Nordre, Sudre, Austre, Vestre, Althjof, Dvalin, Na, Nain, Niping, Dain, Bifur, Bafur, Bombor, Nore, Ore, Onar, Oin, Mjodvitner, Vig, Gandalf, Vindalf, Thorin, File, Kile, Fundin, Vale, Thro, Throin, Thek, Lit, Vit, Ny, Nyrad, Rek, Radsvid.

But the following are also dwarfs and dwell in the rocks, while the above-named dwell in the mould:

Draupner, Dolgthvare, Hor, Hugstare, Hledjolf, Gloin, Dore, Ore, Duf, Andvare, Hepte, File, Har, Siar.

But the following come from Svarin's How to Aurvang on Joruvold, and from them is sprung Lovar. Their names are:

Skirfer, Virfir, Skafid, Ae, Alf, Inge, Eikinslgalde, Fal, Froste, Fid, Ginnar.[22]

[Footnote 22: Elder Edda: The Vala's Prophecy, 12, 14-16, 18, 19.]

CHAPTER VII.

ON THE WONDERFUL THINGS IN HEAVEN.

15. Then said Ganglere: Where is the chief or most holy place of the G.o.ds? Har answered: That is by the ash Ygdrasil. There the G.o.ds meet in council every day. Said Ganglere: What is said about this place?

Answered Jafnhar: This ash is the best and greatest of all trees; its branches spread over all the world, and reach up above heaven. Three roots sustain the tree and stand wide apart; one root is with the asas and another with the frost-giants, where Ginungagap formerly was; the third reaches into Niflheim; under it is Hvergelmer, where Nidhug gnaws the root from below. But under the second root, which extends to the frost-giants, is the well of Mimer, wherein knowledge and wisdom are concealed. The owner of the well hight Mimer. He is full of wisdom, for he drinks from the well with the Gjallar-horn. Alfather once came there and asked for a drink from the well, but he did not get it before he left one of his eyes as a pledge. So it is said in the Vala's Prophecy:

Well know I, Odin, Where you hid your eye: In the crystal-clear Well of Mimer.

Mead drinks Mimer Every morning From Valfather's pledge.

Know you yet or not?[23]

[Footnote 23: Elder Edda: The Vala's Prophecy, 24.]

The third root of the ash is in heaven, and beneath it is the most sacred fountain of Urd. Here the G.o.ds have their doomstead. The asas ride hither every day over Bifrost, which is also called Asa-bridge. The following are the names of the horses of the G.o.ds: Sleipner is the best one; he belongs to Odin, and he has eight feet. The second is Glad, the third Gyller, the fourth Gler, the fifth Skeidbrimer, the sixth Silfertop, the seventh Siner, the eighth Gisl, the ninth Falhofner, the tenth Gulltop, the eleventh Letfet. Balder's horse was burned with him.

Thor goes on foot to the doomstead, and wades the following rivers:

Kormt and Ormt And the two Kerlaugs; These shall Thor wade Every day When he goes to judge Near the Ygdrasil ash; For the Asa-bridge Burns all ablaze,-- The holy waters roar.[24]

[Footnote 24: Elder Edda: Grimner's Lay, 29.]

Then asked Ganglere: Does fire burn over Bifrost? Har answered: The red which you see in the rainbow is burning fire. The frost-giants and the mountain-giants would go up to heaven if Bifrost were pa.s.sable for all who desired to go there. Many fair places there are in heaven, and they are all protected by a divine defense. There stands a beautiful hall near the fountain beneath the ash. Out of it come three maids, whose names are Urd, Verdande and Skuld. These maids shape the lives of men, and we call them norns. There are yet more norns, namely those who come to every man when he is born, to shape his life, and these are known to be of the race of G.o.ds; others, on the other hand, are of the race of elves, and yet others are of the race of dwarfs. As is here said:

Far asunder, I think, The norns are born, They are not of the same race.

Some are of the asas, Some are of the elves, Some are daughters of Dvalin.[25]

[Footnote 25: Elder Edda: Fafner's Lay, 13.]

Then said Ganglere: If the norns rule the fortunes of men, then they deal them out exceedingly unevenly. Some live a good life and are rich; some get neither wealth nor praise. Some have a long, others a short life. Har answered: Good norns and of good descent shape good lives, and when some men are weighed down with misfortune, the evil norns are the cause of it.

16. Then said Ganglere: What other remarkable things are there to be said about the ash? Har answered: Much is to be said about it. On one of the boughs of the ash sits an eagle, who knows many things. Between his eyes sits a hawk that is called Vedfolner. A squirrel, by name Ratatosk, springs up and down the tree, and carries words of envy between the eagle and Nidhug. Four stags leap about in the branches of the ash and bite the leaves.[26] Their names are: Dain, Dvalin, Duney and Durathro.

In Hvergelmer with Nidhug are more serpents than tongue can tell. As is here said:

The ash Ygdrasil Bears distress Greater than men know.

Stags bite it above, At the side it rots, Nidhug gnaws it below.

[Footnote 26: The Icelandic barr. See Vigfusson, _sub voce_.]

And so again it is said:

More serpents lie 'Neath the Ygdrasil ash Than is thought of By every foolish ape.

Goin and Moin (They are sons of Grafvitner), Grabak and Grafvollud, Ofner and Svafner Must for aye, methinks, Gnaw the roots of that tree.[27]

[Footnote 27: Elder Edda: Grimner's Lay, 35, 34.]

Again, it is said that the norns, that dwell in the fountain of Urd, every day take water from the fountain and take the clay that lies around the fountain and sprinkle therewith the ash, in order that its branches may not wither or decay. This water is so holy that all things that are put into the fountain become as white as the film of an egg-sh.e.l.l As is here said:

An ash I know Hight Ygdrasil; A high, holy tree With white clay sprinkled.

Thence come the dews That fall in the dales.

Green forever it stands Over Urd's fountain.[28]