9. "To make heaven and earth, to fix the sun and the moon in the
firmament, and mark out the days and seasons, were, indeed, important
labours," said Gangler; "but whence came the men who at present dwell
in the world?"
"One day." replied Har, "as the sons of Bor were walking along the
sea-beach they found two stems of wood, out of which they shaped a man
and a woman. The first (Odin) infused into them life and spirit; the
second (Vili) endowed them with reason and the power of motion; the
third (Ve) gave them speech and features, hearing and vision. The man
they called Ask, and the woman, Embla. From these two descend the
whole human race whose assigned dwelling was within Midgard. Then the
sons of Bor built in the middle of the universe the city called
Asgard, where dwell the gods and their kindred, and from that abode
work out so many wondrous things, both on the earth and in the heavens
above it. There is in that city a place called Hlidskjalf, and when
Odin is seated there on his lofty throne he sees over the whole world,
discerns all the actions of men, and comprehends whatever he
contemplates. His wife is Frigga, the daughter of Fjorgyn, and they
and their offspring form the race that we call Æsir, a race that
dwells in Asgard the old, and the regions around it, and that we know
to be entirely divine. Wherefore Odin may justly be called All-father,
for he is verily the father of all, of gods as well as of men, and to
his power all things owe their existence. Earth is his daughter and
his wife, and with her he had his first-born son, Asa-Thor, who is
endowed with strength and valour, and therefore quelleth he everything
that hath life."