Prose EddaNorse MythologyAncient Myth / ComparativeOld NorseShareProse Edda 18Anderson - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableAndersonLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Prose Edda 1Prose Edda 2Prose Edda 3Prose Edda 4Prose Edda 5Prose Edda 6Prose Edda 7Prose Edda 8Prose Edda 9Prose Edda 10Prose Edda 11Prose Edda 12Prose Edda 13Prose Edda 14Prose Edda 15Prose Edda 16Prose Edda 17Prose Edda 18Prose Edda 19Prose Edda 20Prose Edda 21Prose Edda 22Prose Edda 23Prose Edda 24Prose Edda 25Prose Edda 26Prose Edda 27Prose Edda 28Prose Edda 29Prose Edda 30Prose Edda 31Prose Edda 32Prose Edda 33Prose Edda 34Prose Edda 35›Regeneration.Prose Edda 18ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter157. Then asked Ganglere: What happens when heaven and earth and all the world are consumed in flames, and when all the gods and all the einherjes and all men are dead? You have already said that all men shall live in some world through all ages. Har answered: There are many good and many bad abodes. Best it is to be in Gimle, in heaven. Plenty is there of good drink for those who deem this a joy in the hall called Brimer. That is also in heaven. There is also an excellent hall which stands on the Nida mountains. It is built of red gold, and is called Sindre. In this hall good and well-minded men shall dwell. Nastrand is a large and terrible hall, and its doors open to the north. It is built of serpents wattled together, and all the heads of the serpents turn into the hall and vomit forth venom that flows in streams along the hall, and in these streams wade perjurers and murderers. So it is here said: 2A hall I know standing Far from the sun On the strand of dead bodies. Drops of venom Fall through the loop-holes. Of serpents’ backs The hall is made. 3There shall wade Through heavy streams Perjurers And murderers. 4But in Hvergelmer it is worst. 5There tortures Nidhug The bodies of the dead.[71] 6[Footnote 71: Elder Edda: The Vala’s Prophecy, 40, 41.] 758. Then said Ganglere: Do any gods live then? Is there any earth or heaven? Har answered: The earth rises again from the sea, and is green and fair. The fields unsown produce their harvests. Vidar and Vale live. Neither the sea nor Surfs fire has harmed them, and they dwell on the plains of Ida, where Asgard was before. Thither come also the sons of Thor, Mode and Magne, and they have Mjolner. Then come Balder and Hoder from Hel. They all sit together and talk about the things that happened aforetime,--about the Midgard-serpent and the Fenris-wolf. They find in the grass those golden tables which the asas once had. Thus it is said: 8Vidar and Vale Dwell in the house of the gods, When quenched is the fire of Surt. Mode and Magne Vingner’s Mjolner shall have When the fight is ended.[72] 9[Footnote 72: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner’s Lay, 51.] 10In a place called Hodmimer’s-holt[73] are concealed two persons during Surt’s fire, called Lif and Lifthraser. They feed on the morning dew. From these so numerous a race is descended that they fill the whole world with people, as is here said: 11Lif and Lifthraser Will lie hid In Hodmimer’s-holt. The morning dew They have for food. From them are the races descended.[74] 12[Footnote 74: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner’s Lay, 45.] 13But what will seem wonderful to you is that the sun has brought forth a daughter not less fair than herself, and she rides in the heavenly course of her mother, as is here said: 14A daughter Is born of the sun Ere Fenrer takes her. In her mother’s course When the gods are dead This maid shall ride.[75] 15[Footnote 75: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner’s Lay, 47.] 16And if you now can ask more questions, said Har to Ganglere, I know not whence that power came to you. I have never heard any one tell further the fate of the world. Make now the best use you can of what has been told you. 1759. Then Ganglere heard a terrible noise on all sides, and when he looked about him he stood out-doors on a level plain. He saw neither hall nor burg. He went his way and came back to his kingdom, and told the tidings which he had seen and heard, and ever since those tidings have been handed down from man to man. ‹Previous chapterProse Edda 17Next chapterProse Edda 19›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg