And these proceed from Svarinshaugr to Aurvangar on Jöruplain, and thence is Lovarr come; these are their

names:

Skirfir, Virfir

Álfr, Yngvi,

Falr, Frosti,

Skáfidr, Ái,
Eikinskjaldi,
Fidr, Ginnarr."

XV. Then said Gangleri: "Where is the chief abode or holy place of the gods?" Hárr answered: "That is at the Ash of Yggdrasill; there the gods must give judgment every day." Then Gangleri asked: "What is to be said concerning that place?" Then said Jafnhárr: "The Ash is X greatest of all trees and best: its limbs spread out over all the world and stand above heaven. Three roots of the tree uphold it and stand exceeding broad: one is among the Æsir; another among the Rime-Giants, in the place where aforetime was the Yawning Void; the thir tands over Niflheim, and under that root is Hvergelmir, and Nídhöggr gnaws the root from below. But under that root which turns toward the Rime-Giants is Mímir's Well, wherein wisdom and understanding are stored; and he is called Mímir, who keeps the well. He is full of ancient lore, since he drinks of the well from the Gjallar-Horn. Thither came Allfather and craved one drink of the well; but he got it not until he had laid his eye in pledge. So says Völuspá:

All know I, Odin,
In the wide-renowned
Mímir drinks mead

From Valfather's wage.

where the eye thou hiddest,

well of Mímir;

Wit ye yet, or what?

every morning

The third root of the Ash stands in heaven; and under

that root is the well which is very holy, that is called the Well of Urdr; there the gods hold their tribunal. Each day the Æsir ride thither up over Bifröst, which is also called the Æsir's Bridge. These are the names of the Æsir's steeds: Sleipnir' is best, which Odin has; he has eight feet. The second is Gladr, the third Gyllir,' the fourth Glenr,* the fifth Skeidbrimir," the sixth Silfrintoppr," the seventh Sinir,' the eighth Gísl, the ninth Falhófnir,' the tenth Gulltoppr, the eleventh Léttfeti." Baldr's horse was burnt with him; and Thor walks to the judgment, and wades those rivers which are called thus:

8

and the Kerlaugs twain,

Them shall Thor wade

Körmt and Örmt

Every day

when he goes to doom

At Ash Yggdrasill;

For th Esir's Bridge burns all with flame,
And the holy waters howl."

Then said Gangleri: “Does fire burn over Bifröst?” Hárr replied: "That which thou seest to be red in the bow is burning fire; the Hill-Giants might go up to heaven, if passage on Bifröst were open to all those who would cross. There are many fair places in heaven, and over everything there a godlike watch is kept. A hall stands there, fair, under the ash by the well, and out of that hall come three maids, who are called thus: Urdr," Verdandi," Skuld;"these maids determine the period of men's lives: we call them

Norns; but there are many norns: those who come to each child that is born, to appoint his life; these are of the race of the gods, but the second are of the Elf-people, and the third are of the kindred of the dwarves, as it is said here:

Most sundered in birth
They claim no

I say

the Norns are;

common kin:

Some are of Æsir-kin, some are of Elf-kind,
Some are Dvalinn's daughters."

Then said Gangleri: "If the Norns determine the weirds of men, then they apportion exceeding unevenly, seeing that some have a pleasant and luxurious life, but others have little worldly goods or fame; some have long life, others short." Hárr said: "Good norns and of honorable race appoint good life; but those men that suffer evil fortunes are governed by evil norns."

XVI. Then said Gangleri: "What more mighty wonders are to be told of the Ash?" Hárr replied: "Much is to be told of it. An eagle sits in the limbs of the Ash, and he has understanding of many a thing; and between his eyes sits the hawk that is called Vedrfölnir. The squirrel called Ratatöskr runs up and down the length of the Ash, bearing envious words between the eagle and Nídhöggr; and four harts run in the limbs of the Ash and bite the leaves. They are called thus: Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr, Durathrór. Moreover, so many serpents are in Hvergelmir with Nídhöggr, that no tongue can tell them, as is here said:

Ash Yggdrasill suffers anguish,

More than men know of:

The stag bites above;

on the side it rotteth,

And Nídhöggr gnaws from below.

It is further said that these Norns who dwell by the Well of Urdr take water of the well every day, and with it that clay which lies about the well, and sprinkle it over the Ash, to the end that its limbs shall not wither nor rot; for that water is so holy that all things which come there into the well become as white as the film which lies within the egg-shell,—as is here said:

I know an Ash standing
A high tree sprinkled
Thence come the dews
It stands ever green

called Yggdrasill,

with snow-white clay;

in the dale that fallabove Urdr's Well.

That dew which falls from it onto the earth is called by men honey-dew, and thereon are bees nourished. Two fowls are fed in Urdr's Well: they are called Swans, and from those fowls has come the race of birds which is so called.”

XVII. Then said Gangleri: "Thou knowest many tidings to tell of the heaven. What chief abodes are there more than at Urdr's Well?" Hárr said: "Many places are there,

and glorious. That which is called Álfheimr' is one, where
dwell the peoples called Light-Elves; but the Dark-Elves
dwell down in the earth, and they are unlike in appearance,
but by far more unlike in nature. The Light-Elves are fairer
to look upon than the sun,
but the Dark-Elves are blacker
than pitch. Then there is also in that place the abode called
Breidablik, and there is not in heaven a fairer dwelling.
There, too, is the one called Glitnir,' whose walls, and all
its posts and pillars, are of red gold, but its roof of silver.
There is also the abode called Himinbjörg; it stands at
heaven's end by the bridge-head, in the place where Bifröst
joins heaven. Another great abode is there, which is named
Valaskjálf; Odin possesses that dwelling; the gods made
it and thatched it with sheer silver, and in this hall is the
Hlidskjálf, the high-seat so called. Whenever Allfather
sits in that seat, he surveys all lands. At the southern end
of heaven is that hall which is fairest of all, and brighter
than the sun; it is called Gimlé.' It shall stand when both
heaven and earth have departed; and good men and of
righteous conversation shall dwell therein: so it is said in
Völuspá:

A hall I know standing
Thatched with gold

There shall dwell

And ever and ever

than the sun fairer,

in Gimle bright;

the doers of righteousness
enjoy delight."

Then said Gangleri: "What shall guard this place, when the flame of Surtr shall consume heaven and earth?" Hárr

1 Elf-home.

4 Heaven-crag.

2 Broad-gleaming.

5 Seat or shelf of the Fallen.

3 Glittering.
6 Gate-seat.

7 Either dative of Himill Heaven (?) (Cl.-Vig.), or Gem-decked (Bugge).

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