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92 EELIGION OF THE NOETHMEN.
CHAPTER n.
PEEBEEVATION OF THE WOELD.
The ash Yggdrasill is the noblest of all trees ;
. ever-green branches encompass all the world. It
grows up from three roots. The one is in the foun-
tain Hvergelmir in Mflheim, at which the dragon
]Sri6h6gg gnaws ; the second root is in Jotunheim
the third with the ^sir in heaven. In the top of
the ash sits a very wise eagle ; four harts run among
its branches and bite off the buds ; while up and
down the trunk goes the squirrel Eatatosk, which
bears words of malice between the eagle and Ni5-
hogg. Under the root which shoots up from Jotun-
heim, is the well of the wise Jotun Mimir. Here is
kept Odin's eye, which he plisdged for a drink from
the well ; and every morning Mimir drinks from
his glittering horn the mead which flows over
Odin's pledge. Under the root of the ash which
sprouts from heaven is the sacred Urdar-foimt (Ur8-
ar-brunnr), by which the Gods have their judgment
seat, whither they ride every day over Bifrost.
By this fountain the three great Nornir have their
seat: the maidens UrSur, YerSandi, and Skuld.
They nourish the tree by sprinkling over its body
with the purifying waters of the fountain. They
deal out life and rule the fates. Their messengers,
now good, now evil, accompany man from birth till
death, and create his good and evil fate. Nothing
can change the doom of the Norns.
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