16. "Where," asked Gangler, "is the chief or holiest seat of
the gods?"
"It is under the ash Yggdrasill," replied Har, "where the gods
assemble every day in council."
"What is there remarkable in regard to that place?" said Gangler.
"That ash," answered Jafnhar, "is the greatest and best of all trees.
Its branches spread over the whole world, and even reach above heaven.
It has three roots very wide asunder. One of them extends to the Æsir,
another to the Frost-giants in that very place where was formerly
Ginnungagap, and the third stands over Nifelheim, and under this root,
which is constantly gnawed by Nidhogg, is Hvergelmir. But under the
root that stretches out towards the Frost-giants there is Mimir's
well, in which wisdom and wit lie hidden. The owner of this well is
called Mimir. He is full of wisdom, because he drinks the waters of
the well from the horn Gjoll every morning. One day All-father came
and begged a draught of this water, which he obtained, but was obliged
to leave one of his eyes as a pledge for it.
"The third root of the ash is in heaven, and under it is the holy
Urdar-fount. 'Tis here that the gods sit in judgment. Every day they
ride up hither on horseback over Bifrost, which is called the Æsir
Bridge. These are the names of the horses of the Æsir. Sleipnir is the
best of them; he has eight legs, and belongs to Odin. The others are
Gladr, Gyllir, Glær, Skeidbrimir, Silfrintoppr, Synir, Gils,
Falhofnir, Gulltoppr, and Lettfeti. Baldur's horse was burnt with his
master's body. As for Thor, he goes on foot, and is obliged every day
to wade the rivers called Kormt and OErmt, and two others called
Kerlaung.
"Through these shall Thor wade every day, as he fares to the doomstead
under Yggdrasill's ash, else the Æsir Bridge would be in flames, and
boiling hot would become the holy waters."[130] "But tell me," said
Gangler, "does fire burn over Bifrost?"
"That," replied Har, "which thou seest red in the bow, is burning
fire; for the Frost-giants and the Mountain-giants would go up to
heaven by that bridge if it were easy for every one to walk over it.
There are in heaven many goodly homesteads, and none without a
celestial ward. Near the fountain, which is under the ash, stands a
very beauteous dwelling, out of which go three maidens, named Urd,
Verdandi, and Skuld.[131] These maidens fix the lifetime of all men,
and are called Norns. But there are, indeed, many other Norns, for,
when a man is born, there is a Norn to determine his fate. Some are
known to be of heavenly origin, but others belong to the races of the
elves and dwarfs; as it is said--
"'Methinks the Norns were born far asunder, for they are not of the
same race. Some belong to the Æsir, some to the Elves, and some are
Dvalin's daughters."
"But if these Norns dispense the destinies of men," said Gangler,
"they are, methinks, very unequal in their distribution; for some men
are fortunate and wealthy, others acquire neither riches nor honours,
some live to a good old age, while others are cut off in their prime."
"The Norns," replied Har, "who are of a good origin, are good
themselves, and dispense good destinies. But those men to whom
misfortunes happen ought to ascribe them to the evil Norns."
17. "What more wonders hast thou to tell me," said Gangler,
"concerning the ash?"
"What I have further to say respecting it," replied Har, "is, that
there is an eagle perched upon its branches who knows many things:
between his eyes sits the hawk called Vedurfolnir. The squirrel named
Ratatosk runs up and down the ash, and seeks to cause strife between
the eagle and Nidhogg. Four harts run across the branches of the tree,
and bite the buds. They are called Dainn, Divalinn, Duneyr, and
Durathror. But there are so many snakes with Nidhogg in Hvergelmir
that no tongue can recount them."
"It is also said that the Norns who dwell by the Urdar-fount draw
every day water from the spring, and with it and the clay that lies
around the fount sprinkle the ash, in order that its branches may not
rot and wither away. This water is so holy that everything placed in
the spring becomes as white as the film, within an eggshell. As it is
said in the Voluspa--
"'An Ash know I standing,
Named Yggdrasill,
A stately tree sprinkled
With water the purest;
Thence come the dewdrops
That fall in the dales;
Ever blooming, it stands
O'er the Urdar-fountain."'
"The dew that falls thence on the earth men call honey-dew, and it is
the food of the bees. Two fowls are fed in the Urdar-fount; they are
called swans, and from them are descended all the birds of this
species."