The Shattered Realm

A Diagrammatic key to the creation of the Germanic Universe, giants and gods

We are told of the beginnings of the universe in Norse and Germanic mythology in a song from the Icelandic Poetic Edda named the Prophecy of the Seeress or Völuspá, and in the Gylfaginning of Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda.  

At the dawn of time existed the Ginnungagap, the pitch black of nothingness. Surrounding this to the North was Niflheim, the realm of mist and darkness, in the middle of which was the eternal spring Hvergelmir, the seething cauldron that supplied the yeasty venom of the eleven great streams, the Élivagar. The streams dripped into the void of the Ginnungagap in the form of Eitr, or Rime – an icy, dripping poison.  To the South of the Ginnungagap was the fiery realm of Muspellheim guarded by the flame giant Surtr, whose fiery sword sent showers of fire and sparks into the Ginnungagap.

As the fire of Muspellheim merged with the icy flow of Élivagar from Niflheim, the steam that rose from their union in the Ginnungagap gave form to the Rime Thurses (Ice Giant) Ymir and the cosmic cow Auðumla. Auðumla fed Ymir with the four streams of milk that flowed from her udders, whilst she herself was fed by licking a salty block of ice. She licked this block of ice into the form of Búri, the first god. Meanwhile, Ymir birthed male and female ice giants from under his arm, and the six headed giant þrudgelmir (strength yeller) from his feet. þrudgelmir in turn produced Bergelmir (mountain yeller) shortly after being born.

Búri, by himself, begat Borr, who took the Etin-wife Bestla, daughter of Bölthorn. This union of god and giant produced three offspring: Óðinn, Vili and Vé.