In the beginning there was nothing except Muspelheimr(The world of fire) and Niflheimr(The world of ice).
Frost from Niflheim and billowing flames from Muspelheim crept toward each other. Amid the hissing and sputtering, the fire melted the ice, and from the melting ice came Ymir, the first of the godlike but destructive giants.
As the frost continued to melt, a cow, Audhumla, emerged from it. She nourished Ymir with her milk, and she, in turn, was nourished by salt-licks in the ice. Her licks slowly uncovered Buri, the first God. Buri had a son Borr(By an unknown process).
Then the opposite thing happened. Fire came from Muspelheimr and cooled down near Niflheimr. From the steam came the powerful fire giant Surtr. He made a flame sword from Muspelheimr which would shine brighter then it. He remained in Muspelheimr and is not mentioned until later.
As the giant slept, from his armpits a male and female giants were born and from his legs came the dwarfs and elfs.
Bolthorn(Son of Ymir) had two children, Bestla and Mimir. Borr married Bestla and their half god half giant children were Odin, Vili and Ve.
Odin and his brothers slew Ymir and set about constructing the world from his corpse. They fashioned the oceans from his blood, the soil from his skin and muscles, vegetation from his hair and teeth, clouds from his brains, mountains from his eyebrows and the sky from his skull. They placed four dwarfs on the corners of the world to keep Ymir's skull above the world. The dwarfs were named North, South, East and West.
The god wanted creatures to rule over so with the help of dwarfs they created the first two humans, Ask and Embla with portion of Niflheim and wood.
Odin gave them breath of life, Vili gave them movement and intelligence, and Ve gave them shape, speech, hearing and sight. Further, the three gods gave them clothing and names.
They separated land of humans and giants by placing mountains between them.
And the nine worlds were created:
1: Asgard
Home of Odin's descendants.
2: Vanaheimr
Home of Ve's descendants.
3: Jotunheimr
Land of giants
4: Midgard
Land of humans
5: Niflheimr
World of ice
6: Musphelheimr
World of fire
7: Alfheimr
Land of Elfs
8: Svartalfaheimr
Home of Dwarfs
9: Helheimr
Underworld beneath the roots of the world tree( When the humans died their souls went to Hel and there they would be judged).
YOU ARE READING
Tales from Norse Myths
Historical FictionThe Universe is created from fire and ice. In world full of giants, dragons and other monstrous creatures, can the gods stop the world from falling into chaos.
