Völuspá: the origin of the worlds. And the growth of Yggdrasil, the world tree.

There was nothing in the beginning but a seemingly almost endless chasm called the Ginnungagap. The Ginnungagap was bordered by Niflheim, far to the north, and Muspelheim, far to the south. Out of this chaos the first being came into existence from the drop of water when ice from Niflheim and fire from Muspelheim met.

This first being was Ymir, a primeval giant This first being was Ymir, a primeval giant. The frost-giants called him Aurgelmir, but everyone else called him Ymir. Ymir's foot bred a son with the other and a man and a woman emerged from his armpits. Thus he would be the father of an entire host of the cruel creatures known as frost-giants. Ymir was nourished by a cosmic cow called Audumla. Audumla fed herself by licking the salty rime-stone, until that stone was licked into a shape of man. This stone-man was named Buri and he was the first primeval god.

From Buri, Bor was born. Bor married the giantess Bestla, the daughter of the frost-giant Boltha. They became the parents of the first Aesir gods Odin, Vili (Hoenir) and Ve. During this time, Ymir grew so large and so evil that the three gods killed Ymir. The blood that flowed from Ymir's wound was so great that almost all the frost giants drowned in the torrent. Only the frost giants Bergelmer and his wife escaped the flood in a chest, arriving on the mountain of Jötunheim (Jotunheim), which became the home of the giants.

Odin and his brothers used Ymir's body to create the universe and World Tree, Yggdrasil. The branches of the tree supported nine different ”worlds”: Asgard, Ljossalfheim, Midgard, Svartalfheim, Hel, Jötunheim, Muspelheim, Vanaheim, and Nifelheim. They placed the body over the void called Ginnungagap. They used his flesh for creating the earth and his blood for the sea. His skull, held up by four dwarves (Nordri, Sudri, Austri, and Vestri), was used to create the heaven. Then using sparks from Muspelheim, the gods created the sun, moon and stars. While Ymir's eyebrows were used to create a place where the human race could live in; a place called Midgard (Middle Earth). After the three gods, Odin, Vili, and Ve, created Midgard, they started to create the human race, from the tree trunks that they came upon at the beach. From these timbers, they made the first man and first woman: Askr and Embla. Each god gave them a gift: Odin gave them breath; Vili gave them understanding and spirit; and Ve gave them senses and outward appearance.

The great world tree, Yggdrasil. Asgard Ljossalfheim or Álfheim Muspelheim Vanaheim Midgard Nifelheim Jotunheim Svartalfheim Hel

The nine worlds and their rulers. Asgard: Home of the gods, or Æsir, living in Odin’s fortress, Valhalla. Ruled by Odin.

Álfheim: Home of the good elves. Ruled by Alfarin.

Muspelheim: Home of the fire giants. Ruled by Surt (or Sutr).

Vanaheim: home of the Vanir, one of the two clans of gods besides the Æsir. Ruled by Njord.

Midgard: Home of the humans. There is no set ruler.

Jotunheim: Home of the giants. Ruled by King Thrym Jotunheim: Home of the giants. Ruled by King Thrym. They are killed off by Thor after Thrym steals his hammer, Mjolnir.

Nifelheim: Home of the frost-giants. Ruled by the giantess Angrboda.

Svartálfheim: Home of the dwarves. Ruled by Sindri.

Hel: Land of the dead. Ruled over by Hel, a half-giantess half-god.

There’s a bridge between Asgard and Midgard and Vanaheim There’s a bridge between Asgard and Midgard and Vanaheim. It’s a rainbow bridge. Odin puts a gatekeeper on it (in Midgard), to keep people from moving. In one story, the gatekeeper set up the class system for the humans in Midgard. He could be seen as ruler, but he didn’t maintain control or give edicts; he merely stayed at the gate.

Odin had female warriors, called Valkyries, who collected the souls of warriors who had died in battle (humans, on Midgard). Since they died fighting, they were due the greatest glory, to live on Asgard at Valhalla. Later, in the battle of Ragnorak, Odin used these warrior souls as his army. In the battle, the gods and the warrior souls fought against giants and monsters.