download - Sage's Lore Library

110 EELIGION OF THE NOETHMEN.
CHAPl'EK Vni.
OF THE THEOET OF CEEATION.
The Asa doctrine supposes two primitive worlds
the Fire World—Muspell or Muspelheim*— ^in the
south, which in the Eddas signifies above, and the
dark, Mist-World—Mfiheimf—in the north, or he-
low. In the former sits enthroned the Fire-Being
Surtur \X in the deepest abyss of the latter, in Hvergelmir§—
^the Ancient. Cauldron, dwells the Dragon
Ni5h6gg||—the Oloom/y Hewer or Onawer—two
primitive beings, each in his nature corresponding
to the world in which he rules ; the former light and
* Probably derived from mrigr, a crowd; and spell, cognate
with spilla, to destroy ; whence it may signify the Destruction of
the Multitude ;
in reference to the agency in destroying the hximan
world. Grimm points out the name in the Old-German under the
forms muspilli, mudspelli, denoting a general conflagration, which
shows that the Germanic race had in the main points the same
views as the Norrseua.
t Nifl, cogn. with the Germ. Nebel, Zat. nebula; hence, the
Nebulous Home,
X For Svertir, from sverta, to blacken, from his fire-like, scorching
nature. According to Grimm, Surtr is cogn. with svartr;
Swed. svart; Dan. sort; Goth, svarts: Germ, sohwarz; JEngl.
swart, swarthy.
§ Hver, a cauldron ; also, a hot spring. Grimm derives gelmir
from gjalla, to resound ; cogn. with A.-8. giellan ; ^gl. yell.
II
From hoggva, to hew; and ni6, obscurity, or niS, malignity.
;