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The Religion of the Northmen

CHAPTER VI
GIMLI AND NASTRÖND; REGENERATION OF THE WORLD

        The gold-roofed Gimli which shines brighter than the sun, passes not away in the great world-conflagration. After Ragnarökk the good shall all be gathered thither to rejoice for evermore. But the wicked shall be hurled down into Náströnd---the Strand of the Dead---which lies around Hvergelmir. There shall they wade through thick venom-streams and be tormented by the dragon Niðhögg.
        But the world is not destroyed forever. A new earth, eternally green and fair, shall shoot forth out of the sea. Viðarr and Vali, who have lived through the fire and the flood, are joined by Thor's sons Moði and Magni, who have their father's hammer; and Baldur and Hödur return from the abodes of Hel. All assemble and converse together of former things; they find the golden tablets which the Æsir once possessed, and they adopt their ancient customs of the plains of Ida. The Sun before her destruction bore a daughter who, more beautiful than her mother, wanders in her path through the renovated world. Líf and Lífthrasir lay hidden in Hoðmímir's wood during the conflagration, and had the morning dew for their food; from them shall descend a new race of men who shall spread over the whole earth. All evil shall cease, and no sorrow nor trouble shall any more prevail upon the new-born earth.
        Then shall the Mighty One come from above, he who rules over all, whose name man dares not to utter. He comes in his power to the great judgment-seat; he will appease all strife and establish a holy peace which shall endure eternally. But the foul dragon, the venom-spotted Niðhöggr, flies away over the plains and sinks out of sight, bearing death upon his wings.

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