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OKIGIN OF THE WOKLD. 91
after with the horse Skinfaxi (Shining-mane), whose
mane scatters light over air and earth.
The ^sir created Sol and Hani (the Sun and
Moon) out of the sparks of Muspell, but they ap-
pointed the children of Mundilfori to drive their
chariots across the heavens. The daughter drives
the chariot of the Sun, but the son drives that of the
Moon. They speed swiftly onward, for two Jotuns
in the guise of wolves pursue Sol and Mdni in order
to devour them.
Dwarves (Dvergar) were quickened as maggots
in "iTmir's flesh. By the command of the Gods they
received the form and understanding of men ; but
their abode was in the earth and the rocks. Four
Dwarves—Austri, Yestri, NorSri, and Su5ri—were
appointed by the Gods to bear up the sky. At the
northern e;xtremity sits the Jotun Hrse-svelgur, in
the guise of an eagle; his wing-strokes are the
cause of storms.
There were not yet any human beings upon the
earth, when once, as the three -^Esir, Odin, Hsenir,
and L&6urr were walking along the sea-shore^
they there found two trees and created from them
the first human pair—the man Ask, and the woman
Embla. Odin gave them spirit, Hsenir, under-
standing, and LoSurr gave blood- and fair complex-
ion. The newly-created pair received Mi5gar5 of
the -^sir for their abode ; and from Ask and Em-
bla is descended the whole human family.