Gylfaginning

and ride it, and swim their horses over great rivers; thus they shall proceed." Then said Gangleri: "To my thinking the gods did not build the bridge honestly, seeing that it could be broken, and they able to make it as they would." Then Hárr replied : "The gods are not deserving of reproof because of this work of skill: a good bridge is Bifröst, but nothing in this world is of such nature that it may be relied on when the sons of Múspell go a-harrying."

XIV. Then said Gangleri: " What did Allfather then do when Asgard was made?" Hárr answered: "In the beginning he established rulers, and bade them ordain fates with him, and give counsel concerning the planning of the town; that was in the place which is called Ida-field, in the midst of the town. It was their first work to make that court in which their twelve seats stand, and another, the high-seat which Allfather himself has. That house is the best-made of any on earth, and the greatest; without and within, it is all like one piece of gold; men call it Gladsheim. They made also a second hall: that was a shrine which the goddesses had, and it was a very fair house; men call it Vingólf. Next they fashioned a house, wherein they placed a forge, and made besides a hammer, tongs, and anvil, and by means of these, all other tools. After this they smithied metal and stone and wood, and wrought so abundantly that metal which is called gold, that they had all their household ware and all dishes of gold; and that time is called the Age of Gold, before it was spoiled by the coming of the Women, even those who came out of Jötunheim. Next after this, the gods enthroned themselves in their seats and held judgment, and called to mind whence the dwarves bad quickened in the mould and underneath in the

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earth, even as do maggots in flesh. The dwarves had first received shape and life in the flesh of Ymir, and were then maggots; but by decree of the gods had become conscious with the intelligence of men, and had human shape. And nevertheless they dwell in the earth and in stones. Módsognir was the first, and Durinn the second; so it says in Völuspá.

Then strode all the mighty       to the seats of judgment,
The gods most holy,       and together held counsel,
Who should of dwarves       shape the peoples
From the bloody surge       and the Blue One's bones.
They made many       in man's likeness,
Dwarves in the earth,       as Durinn said.

And these, says the Sibyl, are their names:

Nýi and Nidi,       Nordri and Sudri,
Austri, Vestri,       Althjófr, Dvalinn;
Nár, Náinn,       Nípingr, Dáinn,
Bifurr, Báfurr,       Bömburr, Nóri,
Óri, Ónarr,       Óinn, Mjödvitnir,
Víggr and Gandálfr,       Vindálfr, Thorinn,
Fíli, Kíli,       Fundinn, Váli;
Thrór, Thróinn,       Thekkr, Litr and Vitr,
Nýr, Nýrádr,       Rekkr, Rádsvidr.

And these also are dwarves and dwell in stones, but the first in mould:

Draupnir, Dólgthvari,
Hörr, Hugstani,       Hledjólfr, Glóinn;
Dón, Óri,       Dúfr, Andvari,
Heptifíli,       Hárr, Svíarr.

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

Skirfir, Virfir       Skáfidr, Ái,
Álfr, Yngvi,       Eikinskjaldi,
Falr, Frosti,       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 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 Æsír; another among the Rime-Giants, in that place where aforetime was the Yawning Void; the third stands 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 Voluspa:

All know I, Odin,       where the eye thou hiddest,
In the wide-renowned       well of Mímir;
Mímir drinks mead       every morning
From Valfather's wage.       Wit ye yet, or what?

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

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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 (1) is best, which Odin has; he has eight feet. The second is Gladr, (2) the third Gyllir, (3) the fourth Glenr, (4) the fifth Skeidbrimir, (5) the sixth Silfrintoppr, (6) the seventh Sinir, (7) the eighth Gísl, (8) the ninth Falhófnir, (9) the tenth Gulltoppr, (10) the eleventh Léttfeti. (11) Baldr's horse was burnt with him; and Thor walks to the judgment, and wades those rivers which are called thus:

Körmt and Örmt       and the Kerlaugs twain,
      Them shall Thor wade
Every day       when he goes to doom
      At Ash Yggdrasill;
For the Æsir'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, (12) Verdandi, (13) Skuld; (14) these maids determine the period of men's lives: we call them

1. The Slipper. 2. Bright or Glad. 3. Golden. 4. The Starer. 5. Fleet Courser.
6. Silver-top. 7. Sinewy. 8. Beam, Ray. 9. Hairy-hoof. 10. Gold-top.
11. Light-stepper. 12 Past. 13. Present. 14. Future.