Poetic Edda
3.[1] Of old was the agewhen Ymir lived;
Sea nor cool wavesnor sand there were;
Earth had not been,nor heaven above,
But a yawning gap,and grass nowhere.
Sea nor cool wavesnor sand there were;
Earth had not been,nor heaven above,
But a yawning gap,and grass nowhere.
4. [2] Then Bur's sons liftedthe level land,
Mithgarth the mightythere they made;
The sun from the southwarmed the stones of earth,
And green was the groundwith growing leeks.
Mithgarth the mightythere they made;
The sun from the southwarmed the stones of earth,
And green was the groundwith growing leeks.
5. [3] The sun, the sisterof the moon, from the south
Her right hand castover heaven's rim;
No knowledge she hadwhere her home should be,
The moon knew notwhat might was his.
The stars knew notwhere their stations were.
Her right hand castover heaven's rim;
No knowledge she hadwhere her home should be,
The moon knew notwhat might was his.
The stars knew notwhere their stations were.
- ↑ Ymir: the giant out of whose body the gods made the world; cf. Vafthruthnismol, 21. In this stanza as quoted in Snorri's Edda the first line runs: "Of old was the age ere aught there was." Yawning gap: this phrase, "Ginnunga-gap," is sometimes used as a proper name.
- ↑ Bur's sons: Othin, Vili, and Ve. Of Bur we know only that his wife was Bestla, daughter of Bolthorn; cf. Hovamol, 141. Vili and Ve are mentioned by name in the Eddie poems only in Lokasenna, 26. Mithgarth ("Middle Dwelling"); the world of men. Leeks: the leek was often used as the symbol of fine growth (cf. Guthrunarkvita I, 17), and it was also supposed to have magic power (cf. Sigrdrifumol, 7).
- ↑ Various editors have regarded this stanza as interpolated; Hoffory thinks it describes the northern summer night in which the sun does not set. Lines 3-5 are quoted by Snorri. In the manuscripts line 4 follows line 5. Regarding the sun and moon
symbolizing the universe; cf. Grimnismol, 29-35 and notes, wherein Yggdrasil is described at length.
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