7. "Was there," asked Gangler, "any kind of equality or any degree
of good understanding between these two races?"
"Far from it," replied Har; "for the sons of Bor slew the giant Ymir,
and when he fell there ran so much blood from his wounds, that the
whole race of Frost-giants was drowned in it, except a single giant,
who saved himself with his household. He is called by the giants
Bergelmir. He escaped by going on board his bark, and with him went
his wife, and from them are descended the Frost-giants."
8. "And what became of the sons of Bor, whom ye look upon as gods?"
asked Gangler.
"To relate this," replied Har, "is no trivial matter. They dragged the
body of Ymir into the middle of Ginnungagap, and of it formed the
earth. From Ymir's blood they made the seas and waters; from his flesh
the land; from his bones the mountains; and his teeth and jaws,
together with some bits of broken bones, served them to make the
stones and pebbles."
"With the blood that ran from his wounds," added Jafnhar, "they made
the vast ocean, in the midst of which they fixed the earth, the ocean
encircling it as a ring, and hardy will he be who attempts to pass
those waters."
"From his skull," continued Thridi, "they formed the heavens, which
they placed over the earth, and set a dwarf at the corner of each of
the four quarters. These dwarfs are called East, West, North, and
South. They afterwards took the wandering sparks and red hot flakes
that had been cast out of Muspellheim, and placed them in the heavens,
both above and below, to give light unto the world, and assigned to
every other errant coruscation a prescribed locality and motion. Hence
it is recorded in ancient lore that from this time were marked out the
days, and nights, and seasons."
"Such are the events that took place ere the earth obtained the form
it now beareth."
"Truly great were the deeds ye tell me of!" exclaimed Gangler; "and
wondrous in all its parts is the work thereby accomplished. But how is
the earth fashioned?"
"It is round without," replied Har, "and encircled by the deep ocean,
the outward shores of which were assigned for a dwelling to the race
of giants. But within, round about the earth, they (the sons of Bor)
raised a bulwark against turbulent giants, employing for this
structure Ymir's eyebrows. To this bulwark they gave the name of
Midgard[128] They afterwards tossed Ymir's brains into the air, and
they became the clouds, for thus we find it recorded.
"Of Ymir's flesh was formed the earth; of his sweat (blood), the seas;
of his bones, the mountains; of his hair the trees; of his skull, the
heavens; but with his eyebrows the blithe gods built Midgard for the
sons of men, whilst from his brains the lowering clouds were
fashioned."