How Odin, Vili, and Vé slew the primordial giant Ymir and shaped the world from his body.
Before the world existed, there was only the great void called Ginnungagap. To the north lay Niflheim, a realm of ice and freezing mist. To the south lay Muspelheim, a realm of fire and scorching flames. Where the cold of Niflheim and the heat of Muspelheim met in the void, the ice began to melt — and from the dripping rime, the first being took shape: the frost giant Ymir.
As Ymir slept, sweat gathered beneath his arms. From this sweat a man and a woman were born, the first of the frost giants. Ymir was nourished by the milk of the great cow Auðumbla, who herself was sustained by licking the salty ice of Ginnungagap.
As Auðumbla licked the ice, a figure gradually emerged. On the first day, hair appeared. On the second, a head. On the third, a man stood free from the ice — his name was Buri, grandfather of the gods. Buri had a son named Borr, and Borr married Bestla, daughter of a giant. Together they had three sons: Odin, Vili, and Vé.
The three brothers slew Ymir. So much blood poured from his wounds that it drowned nearly all the frost giants — only a few survived. From Ymir's body, the brothers fashioned the world. His flesh became the earth. His bones became the mountains. His blood became the seas and lakes. His skull became the dome of the sky, held up at the four corners by four dwarves: Norðri, Suðri, Austri, and Vestri. His brains were scattered to form the clouds. His eyebrows were placed as a wall around Midgard to protect the realm of men from the giants beyond.
From two trees found on land, the brothers shaped the first man and woman. Odin gave them breath and life. Vili gave them wit and feeling. Vé gave them sight, hearing, and the warmth of blood. The man was called Ask, the woman Embla. From them descended all of humankind.
As Ymir slept, sweat gathered beneath his arms. From this sweat a man and a woman were born, the first of the frost giants. Ymir was nourished by the milk of the great cow Auðumbla, who herself was sustained by licking the salty ice of Ginnungagap.
As Auðumbla licked the ice, a figure gradually emerged. On the first day, hair appeared. On the second, a head. On the third, a man stood free from the ice — his name was Buri, grandfather of the gods. Buri had a son named Borr, and Borr married Bestla, daughter of a giant. Together they had three sons: Odin, Vili, and Vé.
The three brothers slew Ymir. So much blood poured from his wounds that it drowned nearly all the frost giants — only a few survived. From Ymir's body, the brothers fashioned the world. His flesh became the earth. His bones became the mountains. His blood became the seas and lakes. His skull became the dome of the sky, held up at the four corners by four dwarves: Norðri, Suðri, Austri, and Vestri. His brains were scattered to form the clouds. His eyebrows were placed as a wall around Midgard to protect the realm of men from the giants beyond.
From two trees found on land, the brothers shaped the first man and woman. Odin gave them breath and life. Vili gave them wit and feeling. Vé gave them sight, hearing, and the warmth of blood. The man was called Ask, the woman Embla. From them descended all of humankind.