Prologue
I
God created the Earth and gave it Adam and Eve. They procreated and populated the entire world, but over time, many of the men became greedy and evil. As a result, God flooded the earth.
Noah built an ark, under the guidance of God and took with him two of every animal, his wife, and his three sons and their wives. When the flood subsided, Noah and his sons repopulated the Earth. The later generations became evil like the men before the flood. God did not act.
The sons of the sons of the evil men grew to forget God and embraced the Earth and her gifts to them. She offered them sustenance when they offered nourishment to her. As they asked their elders of their own lineages, they began to imagine a power greater than the Earth, even greater than the stars.
II
The world is divided into three main areas: Africa, the lower part of which was desert and uninhabitable, Európá (also called Eneá), the upper part of which was frozen over and uninhabitable, and Asia, a land of riches and many plants.
The centre of the world was a paradise, finer than any other place in the world. The men there were stronger than the world's men, and the land was more fertile than the world's land.
III
The centre of the world was divided into twelve kingdoms with one High King named Priam. His daughter Tróán married Múnón (also named Mennón), one of the kings. And, they produced Trór (also named Thor). He was sent to be raised by Duke Lóríkus in Thrace (also called Thrúdheim).
When Thor was ten years old, he took up his fathers weapons and began to train in combat, then at age twelve, he gained his full strength. At this age, he killed Duke Lóríkus and his wife, Lórá (also named Glórá). Thrace was now in his hands.
Thor traveled throughout Thrace and killed all the berserks, all the giants, and one dragon, which was the greatest in the land. When in North Thrace, he found the prophetess Síbil (also named Sif) and married her.
They birthed Lóridi, who had the son Einridi, who had the son Vingethor, who had the son Vingener, who had the son Móda, who had the son Magi, who had the son Seskef, who had the son Bedvig, who had the son Athra (also named Annarr), who had the son Ítermann, who had the som Heremód, who had the son Skjädun (also named Skjöld), who had the son Bjáf (also named Bjárr), who had the son Ját, who had the son Guldólfr, who had the son Finn, who had the son Fríallaf (also named Fridleifr), who had the son Vóden (also named Odin).
Odin found and took Frígídá (also named Frigg) as his wife.
IV
Odin and Frigg could see into the future, and they saw that Odin would be exalted in the north. He and his followers went north to Saxland and settled there.
Odin divided this land for three of his sons. Vegdeg took East Saxland and fathered Vitgils, who had the sons Vitta (father of Heingistr) and Sigarr, who had the son Svebdeg (also named Svipdagr). Beldeg (also named Baldr) took the land called Westphalia and fathered Brandr, who had the son Frjódigar (also named Fródi), who had the son Freórin, who had the son Urigg, who had the son Gevis (also named Gave). Sigi, the father of Rerir, took Frankland and established the house called Völsungs.
Odin continued north to Reidgothland and took it for himself. He gave the land to his son Skjöldr, who had the son Fridleifr, and Skjöldr established the house of the Skjöldungs, the kingds of the Danes. They renamed the land Jutland.
V
Odin ventured farther north into Sweden, and was welcomed openly by the king, named Gylfi. Odin and his followers, now called the Aesir, traveled Sweden and brought peace and prosperity to wherever they went. After picking the finest of the lands for himself, Odin established the capitol Sigtún. He appointed twelve head-men to to preside as judges in this land. Odin's son Yngvi ruled, and his people became Ynglings.
Odin went farther north. When he came to the sea, Odin stopped in this land called Norway and gave it to his son Saeminger
All of Odin's sons took native wives and all their sons took native wives. They populated the land and their language became so common that men forgot their mother-tongue. It was assumed that the language of the Aesir had presided for all time in those lands.
Gylfaginning: The Beguiling of Gylfi
I
Gylfi, the king of Sweden, was a generous man to women who were generous to him. He offered to Gefjun, an Aesirian goddess, as much land as four oxen can plow in a day and night. Using giant oxen, she cut so deep into the ground that the land itself split from its host and became the Lögr of Sweden.
II
Gylfi was enraged by this and began to think that all of the Aesir were tricksters. To find the truth, he set out to Ásgard disguised as an old man. The Aesir, who know the future, set up visual tricks for Gylfi.
When he arrives in a city, Gylfi makes his way to the city's grand hall and confronts a juggler standing in front of its door. “Who are you?” asks the juggler. Gylfi introduces himself as the tired traveler Gangleri. “The road to this place is twisted and strenuous. Who owns this hall, so that I may request lodging?” The juggler responds, “Our king owns this hall, but you must ask his name yourself.” The door opens, and he and Gangleri enter.
Inside, Gangleri can see many people drinking, singing, and fighting. At the back of the hall, he can see three occupied thrones, and he approaches them. “Who are you, kings?” he asks. From the highest set seat, the king speaks, “I am Hárr, or High.” From the middle seat, he listens, “I am Jafnhárr, or Equally High.” And, from the lowest seat, “I am Thridi, or Third.”
“Do you come into our hall for the meat and drink?”
“No,” says Gangleri, “I come looking for wise men.”
III
Gangleri asks, “Who is the grandest of the gods?”
“We call him Allfather, but he has twelve names. The first is Allfather, the second is Lord of Hosts, the third is Nikarr, or Spear-Lord, the fourth is Nikudr, or Striker, the fifth is Knower of Many Things, the sixth is Fulfiller of Wishes, the seventh is Far-Speaking One, the eighth is The Shaker, or Commander, the ninth is The Burner, the tenth is The Destroyer, the eleventh is The Protector, and the twelfth is Gelding,” says Hárr.
Gangleri asks, “Where is he? What does he do?”
“He’s lived forever and everywhere. He directs all the things in the world,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “He created the heaven and the earth and the air and everything in them.”
Thridi also says, “He also made mad and gave him the everlasting spirit. When he dies, a good spirit joins him in Gimlé, but evil men go to Hel.”
Gangleri asks, “Where was he before these things were made?”
“With the Frost-Giants,” says Hárr.
IV
Gangleri asks, “What was the beginning?”
“At first, there was nothing,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “Long before the earth was made, an ethereal world was made. In the center of it was the water-well Hvergelmir. From it sprang the rivers Svöl, Gunnthrá, Fjörm, Fimbulthul, Slídr and Hríd, Sylgr and Ylgr, Víd, Leiptr, and Gjöll.
Thridi also says, “The beginning of the world was in the south, a place called Múspell. It is impassible and is defended by Surtr. He holds a fire-sword and will set fire to the world when the end of time comes.
V
Gangleri asks, “Where did men come from?”
“A yeasty venom hardened in long, cold streams called Ice-waves and became frost. It built up over time as far up as into Ginnungagap, the Yawning Void,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “The frost in the Yawning Void facing the south was heated from the fires of Múspell, and from the droplets came the form of a man. His name is Ymir, though the Frost-Giants call him Aurgelimir.”
Gangleri asks, “How were more men created? Is he your God?”
“He is no God. He and all his kindred are evil and called the Frost-Giants,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “When he slept he sweated and under his left hand grew a man and a woman. His foot, with his other foot, had a son. These are the Frost-Giants. We call him, the old Frost-Giant, Ymir.”
VI
Gangleri asks, “Where does he find nutrition?”
“After his creation, a cow called Audumla was created in the same way. Her milk nourishes Ymir,” says Hárr.
Gangleri asks, “Where does she find nutrition?”
“She licked on salty blocks of ice. As she licked, the form of a man took shape over three days. He is called named Búri and he had a son. Borr, the son, married Bestla, the daughter of the giant Bölthorn, and they had three sons: Odin, Vili, and Vé. Odin is the mightiest of gods and rules heaven and earth with his brothers,” says Hárr.
VII
Gangleri asks, “What then did Odin and his brothers do?”
“They slew Ymir whose blood gushed out and drowned all of the Frost-Giants except Bergelmir. He escaped with his wife onto the deck of a ship,” says Hárr.
VIII
Gangleri asks, “After this, what did Odin and his brothers do?”
“They took the body of Ymir into the Yawning Void and made it into the earth. His flesh made land; his blood made seas. His bones made mountains, and his teeth made gravel and stones,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “From his skull, they made the heaven and placed it over the earth. Under each of the corners, holding up the skull, they set a dwarf. Their names were North, South, East, and West.”
Thridi also says, “Sparks out of Múspell were fastened into the Yawning Void to create the stars. Two great fires they set courses for, the sun and the moon.”
Gangleri asks, “What did they do with this new earth?”
“They gave the land to the races of giants, but in the middle earth they created a citadel out of Ymir’s brows. This place was called Midgard,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “From Ymir’s brain, they fashioned clouds.”
IX
Gangleri asks, “But where do the men of the world come from?”
“One day when Odin and his brothers were walking along the earth, the found two trees and shaped them into a man and a woman. Odin gave them life, Vili gave them wit and feeling, and Vé gave them speech, hearing, and sight. They named the male Askr and the female Embala and gave them clothes. They were sent to dwell under Midgard and mankind was made,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “After this, the gods created a city called Ásgard, and they dwelt there.”
Thridi also says, “Odin crafted a hall, and from his throne can see all of the world. His wife Frigg, daughter of Fjörgvinn, produced the divine race of the Aesir. Odin is called Allfather because he is the father of all the gods and all the men. His first son is Thor.”
X
Gangleri asks, “Where do we get night and day?”
“Nörfi, or Narfi, is a giant living in Jötenheim. His daughter is named Night. She was given to the god Dayspring, and their son is Day,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “The Allfather gave to them each a horse and a chariot and sent them to ride around the world every day. Night’s horse, Frosty-Mane, each morning coats the earth with the dew-foam from his bit. Day’s horse is called Sheen-Mane and it illuminates the air and earth with its mane.”
XI
Gangleri asks, “How do the sun and moon move?”
“A man named Mundilfari had two children. He thought so highly of them that he named his son Moon, and his daughter Sun. The gods hated this and the Allfather commanded of the brother and sister to drive the horses of their celestial namesake’s chariots,” says Hárr.
XII
Gangleri asks, “Why does the sun move so quickly?”
“She wants to get awake from what seeks her,” says Hárr.
Gangleri asks, “Who seeks her?”
“Two wolves follow the sun and the moon. Skoll chases the sun, and Hati Hródvitnisson chases the moon,” says Hárr.
Gangleri asks, “Where do they come from?”
“A witch from the east, in a forest called Ironwood. She produces many giants, and they are all wolves. The greatest of these is Moon-House who will swallow the moon and block out the sun the blood of dead men,” says Hárr.
XIII
Gangleri asks, “How do I get to heaven from earth?”
“A rainbow bridge called Bifröst connects the earth to heaven. At the end of time, it will be destroyed. It is a great bridge, but no structure is reliable at the end of time,” says Hárr.
XIV
Gangleri asks, “What did Odin do after Ásgard was made?”
“First, he created a counsel to aid in the planning of the town. In their court-hall were twelve seats and one throne for himself. It was the beast-made hall in all of the world and was called Gladsheim. They then built a shrine-hall for the goddesses called Vingólf that was very beautiful to look at. The gods built a smith-hall to produce their goods made of metal. The material they chose was gold, and they used so much of it that it was called the Age of Gold,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr added, “After this, the gods sat in their court and spoke about the dwarves now emerging from the earth. They grew in the earth like maggots grow from flesh.”
XV
Gangleri asks, “Where is the holy place of the gods?”
“It is called the Ash of Yggdrasill,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “It is the greatest of all trees and the its limbs stretch out over all of the earth and higher than heaven. It has three great roots that connect to three great wells. The first root is connected to the well called Hvergelmir. The second root connects to a well called Mímir’s Well that stores wisdom and understanding. It is guarded by Mímir who drank from it with the Gjallar-Horn. The Allfather drank from the well, also.”
Thridi also says, “The third well is called the Well of Urdr, and it is there that the gods hold their court. Each day, the gods ride up Bifröst on their horses except for Baldr, who was killed, and Thor, who walks to the well.”
Gangleri asks, “What determines the life of men?”
“A hall in heaven, near the well, houses three maidens called Urdr, or Past, Verdandi, or Present, and Skuld, or Future. They choose the length of life for men,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “They send norns to each child that is born, and the norns give him his life.”
Thridi also says, “Good norns of honourable nature give men good lives, but evil norns give men bad lives.”
XVI
Gangleri asks, “What else about the Ash will you tell me?”
“An eagle sits on the limbs of the Ash. There is also a hawk called Vedrfölnir. A squirrel named Ratatöskr exchanges cruel words between the hawk and Nídhöggr, a dragon that chews at the roots of the Ash. There are also many serpents in the well Hvergelmir,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “The maidens take water from the Well of Urdr and feed it to the tree so that it never dies. And, two swans that are fed by the Well of Urdr are the source of all swans on earth.”
XVII
Gangleri asks, “Is there anything else in heaven?”
“There are many halls. One is called Álfheimr, or Elf-home, where the Light-Elves live. They are fair-skinned, though the Dark-Elves that live on earth are blacker than tar. Another hall is called Breidablik, or Broad-Gleaming, that is the second-most beautiful in heaven. A third one called Glitnir, or Glittering, that is made of red gold, though its roof is made of silver. Himinbjörg, or Heaven-Mountain, is located where Bifröst meets heaven. A hall close to that is Valaskjálf, or Seat of the Fallen, is Odin’s hall. It is made of silver. Inside is a throne called Hlidskjálf where Odin sits to look over the world. The most beautiful hall in heaven is called Gimlé. All good and righteous men go and live there once they have died,” says Hárr.”
Jafnhárr adds, “There exist two more heavens separate from this one that only the Light-Elves inhabit. They are called Andlangr and Vídbláinn.”
XVIII
Gangleri asks, “Where does the wind come from?”
“At the north end of heaven sits a giant eagle called Hraesvelgr. When he stretches his wings to fly, the wind rises from under them,” says Hárr.
XIX
Gangleri asks, “Why is the summer hot and the winter cold?”
“Svásudr had a son named Summer who is of pleasant nature. Winter’s father is Vindljóni, or Wind-Bringer, who is the son of Vásadr, or Sleety, and Winter has their temper.
XX
Gangleri asks, “Who are the Aesir?”
“There are twelve gods called the Aesir,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “The Ásynjur are the goddesses that are just as holy as the Aesir.”
Thridi also says, “Odin is the highest and eldest of the Aesir and is father to the world. His wife is Frigg and she knows the fates of men, but does not speak of them.”
Gangleri asks, “Why does Odin have so many names?”
“Many of his names were given for his acts. Most are the result of men with different languages who thought it was necessary to give him a name from their own tongue.
XXI
Gangleri asks, “Who are the other Aesir?”
“Thor is the strongest of them and has a great hall called Bilskirnir. He drives a chariot drawn by two goats called Tooth-Gnasher and Tooth-Gritter. His great hammer Mjöllnir is known very well by the giants. It is their demise, but he cannot wield this great hammer without his iron gloves, ” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “He also wears a girdle of might that increases his strength fifty-percent.”
XXII
Gangleri asks, “What other Aesir are there?”
“Odin’s second son is called Baldr, and he is so beautiful that light itself radiates from him. He is also well-spoken such that his judgements are valued greatly. His hall, Breidablik is said to never be dirty, ever,” says Hárr.
XXIII
Jafnhárr adds, “Another is called Njördr who dwells in heaven in a hall called Nóatún. He guides the wind, the sea, and fire, so men call on him for safe voyages and plentiful hunting. Njördr is not a truly of the Aesir as he was raised in the land of the Vanir. He was traded by them to the Aesir in exchange for Hoenir.”
Thridi also says, “Njördr was married to Skadi, daughter of the giant Thjazi. She is from the mountains and is called the Lady of the Snowshoes.”
XXIV
Gangleri asks, “What else of Njördr?”
“He had two children. The son was called Freyr and the daughter was called Freyja. The son rules over the rain and sunshine and also, the growth of crops. Freyja is very beautiful and is called on by men for success in love,” says Hárr.
XXV
Gangleri asks, “Are there more Aesir?”
“There is one of the Aesir named Týr who is the most daring and has the greatest heart,” says Hárr.
Jafnhárr adds, “One example of his bravery is that of the capture of Fenris-Wolf. To encourage the wolf to get in the great cage called Gleipnir, he offered that he would put his hand into its mouth to prove that the wolf would be let out of the cage. Because the Aesir would not free Fenris-Wolf, it bit down on Týr’s hand and tore it from his body.”
XXVI
Thridi also says, “There is another named Bragi who is known for his ability to speak. He is the god of the storytellers. His wife is Idunn, and she guards the apples from the tree Yggdrasill that give the Aesir youth.”
XXVII
Gangleri asks, “Who is the next god?”
“Heimdallr is the name of one. Nine sisters bore him as a son and is called the White God. He lives in the hall called Himinbjörg near Bifröst and guards the bridge. He needs little sleep, can see in the dark, and can hear any sound that is louder than the sound of grass growing. His mighty trumpet is called the Gjallar-Horn, and its call can be heard in ever world. His great sword is called Head,” says Hárr.
XXVIII
Jafnhárr adds, “There is another god, Hödr, but he is blind and is not called on by the gods.
XXIX
Thridi also says, “Vídarr is another god. He is quiet, but is almost as strong as Thor. The Aesir put faith in him for battle.”
XXX
Hárr continues, “Yet another god is Áli, or Váli. His skill on the bow is phenomenal. His birth is from Odin and Rindr.”
--Dan
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