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— ;
THEOKY OF CEEATION. Ill
life-giving, the latter dark and deadly. From the
Mist-World's dripping coolness (Elivagar,* Yenom
s1/rea/insy Hail strea/ms), rise up frost-vapors. In the
vast empty space lying between the two worlds, in
Giminga-gap,t the Yawning Abyss, these vapors
meet the sparks of the Fire-World. The dead, cold
matter is quickened by the power of Fire, and the
huge, shapeless J6tun:j: 1rmir§— ^the Hearing, Foaaning—comes
forth, the first, chaotic World-mass.
This living mass produces of himself many similar,
frost-cold, stone-like, shapeless beings, the Hrimthursarll
and Bergrisar^ Frost giants and Mountain
giants. In all these forms Evil is still predomi-
nant. All are more nearly allied to the world of
Cold and Darkness. It is only the lower, the^Ays^coH
world-life which moves in them.
But a better being, although of animal nature
the Cow AuShumla**'—came into existence with the
first Frost-Jotun, as his nurse. This power, which
* !fil, a shower, hail shower ; v4gr, a stream.
f Gin, a yawning, an abyss gina, to gape. '
;
\ Jotunn, iotunn, a giant, cogn. with eta ; A.-S. etan, to eat
corresponding Old-Germanic terms: A.-B. €oten; Z. Germ, etan ;
S. Germ, ezan ; Goth, itans ; Old Engl, etin, ettin ; Scotch, ettyn,
eyttyn.
, § "fm, ^mia, to roar ; ;^mr, a confused sound, as the clang of
metals or the rustling of trees.
Jurs, perhaps cogn. with Jurr, dry, barren (Germ, durr); the
II
corresponding Anglo-Saxon name was Jyrs ; H. Germ, durs, or turs
Goth. |)aurs.
11" Ejsi, a giant ; from ris, risa, to rise, towet up.
** Or AuShumbla. Some derive it from auSr, rich ; and hum,
moisture; others from au6r, void, vacant {Dan, ode); and hfim,
darkness.