32 THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE NORSEMEN. 



Grinnungagap was ; the third is over Niflheim, and beneath 

 it is Hvergelmin, but Nidhog gnaws its lower part. Under 

 the root turning towards the Hrinithursar is Mimir's well, 

 in which wisdom and intellect are hidden. Its owner is 

 called Mimir; he is full of wisdom, for he drinks from 

 the well of the horn Gjallar-horn. Odin came and asked for a 

 drink of the well, and did not get it till he pawned his eye." 



" What more wonders," asked Gangleri, " may be told of 

 the ash ? " Bar answered, " Many wonders. An eagle sits 

 in the limbs of the ash and knows many things ; between 

 its eyes sits the hawk Vedrfolnir. The squirrel Ratatosk 

 runs up and down the ash and carries words of envy between 

 the eagle and Nidhog. Four harts run on the limbs of 

 the ash and eat the buds ; they are called Dain, Dvalin, 

 Duneyr, and Durathror. So many serpents are in Hver- 

 gelmir with Nidhog that no tongue can number them" 

 (Gylfaginning, c. 16). 



Heid in the Voluspa tells about the holy tree, and that the 

 horn of Heimdall is hidden under it till the last fight of the 

 gods. Yggdrasil is watered from the water of the well. 



She knows that the blast She sees it poured over 



Of Heimdal is hidden By a muddy stream 



Under the bright From the pledge of Valfodr ; 



Holy tree ; Know ye all up to this and onward ? 



Under the tree lived the three Nornir (Genii), who shape 

 the destinies of men. 



Thence come three maidens, The third Skuld ; 



Knowing many things, They carved on wood tablets, 



Out of the hall They chose lives, 



Which stands under the tree ; They laid down laws 



One was called Urd, For the children of men, 



Another Verdaudi, They chose the fates of men. 



Hel was one of the nine worlds, and stood under the ush 

 Yggdrasil, where the dead, who did not die on the battle-field, 

 went. Hence, when a man had died, Hel-shoes were put on 

 his feet for the journey. 



Odin goes to the world of Hel, in which was the Gnipa cave, 

 in order to inquire about the fate of his son Baldr who had died. 



" Odin threw Hel (daughter of Loki) down into Niflheim, 

 and gave her power over nine worlds ; she was to lodge all 

 those v.ho were sent to her, namely, those who died of sickness 

 and old age. She has a large homestead there, and her house- 



