Live Your Myths

Norse Myth | The Beginning of the Cosmos

Before the dawn of time and before the world was created in Norse mythology, there was only an enormous dark vast emptiness called Ginnungagap. From this, two realms came into existence, Niflheim and Muspelheim.

In the north Niflheim formed, it became such a dark and cold place that there was nothing else than ice, frost, and fog.

The realm of Muspelheim formed to the south of Ginnungagap; this became the country of fire and became so hot that it could only consist of fire, lava, and smoke. Surtr, the fire giant, lives here, along with other fire demons and fire giants.

The world's coldest place

All frigid rivers originate from the spring known as Hvergelmir. These chilly rivers are called Élivágar, which means "ice waves." Each of these eleven rivers has its own name, but they are referred to as Élivágar as a whole.

The water from Élivágar drifted down the mountains to the Ginnungagap plains, where it hardened to frost and ice, forming an extremely dense covering that grew in size in all directions. Lava and sparks poured into the colossal vacuum Ginnungagap from Muspelheim in the south. The air from Niflheim and Muspelheim collided amid Ginnungagap, the fire melted the ice, and it began to drip. Some of the ice started to take the shape of a humanoid figure. This jötunn, often known as a giant, was Ymir, the first gigantic in Norse mythology.

When Ymir went asleep, the sweat under his arms developed two new giants, one male and one female, and one of his legs coupled with the other to create a third, Thrudgelmir "Strength Yeller." These were the first of the frost giants, also known as jötnar. They were breastfed by Audhumbla, the cow giant who, like Ymir, was formed from the melting ice in Ginnungagap.

A giant created Odin.

Audhumbla, the enormous cow, ate a chunk of salty ice, and something weird happened while she was licking it. Some human hair emerged from the block on the first day. Audhumbla licked the salty ice block on the second day, and a head developed.

Finally, on the third day, the rest of the body emerged. Buri, the earliest of the Gods, had emerged from the salty rock. Buri was a colossus, tall and gorgeous. He and his wife Bestla would subsequently produce a kid named Borr. Borr and Bestla had three kids, Odin, Vili, and Ve.

Creation of the Cosmos

The fact that the giants outnumbered the Aesir concerned Odin and his two brothers, as the giants were continuously producing new giants. The only solution they could think of was to kill Ymir, so the three brothers waited until he was asleep before attacking him.

A terrifying fight ensued, and they succeeded in killing Ymir by using all of their might; the blood spewed out with a fierce force in every direction from Ymir's body, and most of the giants drowned in the massive river of blood.

Only Bergelmir and his wife survived. The couple fled and found a safe haven in the country of mist, saving their lives; all future giants are descended from this marriage.

And the Universe was Created

In Norse mythology, the earth was created from the ashes of the gigantic Ymir. The three brothers brought Ymir's lifeless body to the centre of Ginnungagap, where they formed the world from Ymir's remnants.

The oceans, rivers, and lakes were formed from the blood.

The body was transformed into the land.

The bones grew into mountains.

The teeth were transformed into rocks.

The hair transformed into grass and trees.

Midgard became the eyelashes.

They hurled the brain into the air, which became clouds, the skull became the sky, and Ymir's head became the lid covering the new planet. The brothers captured some of the sparks emitted by Muspelheim, the region of fire.

The brothers threw sparks up toward the sky, which sparkled at night and became the stars. They constructed Asgard, the Gods' dwelling, on the plains of Idavoll. The giants were allowed to settle in an area named Jotunheim, far away from Asgard.

Midgard became the world of humans while Odin and the other Aesir gods took up residence in the other world, Asgard.