Gylfaginning

25
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

26
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.


27
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 Ćsír; 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

28
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 Ćsir ride thither up over
Bifröst, which is also called the Ćsir's Bridge. These are the names of the
Ćsir'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 Ćsir'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.
 



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