yggdrasil yggdrasil

The Yggdrasil

In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is the world tree. Yggdrasill means "Ygg's horse", "Yggr" is one of Odin's many names, and according to this, askr Yggdrasil would be viewed as the world-tree upon which the "horse of the highest god is bound". Yggdrasil is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that is central and considered very holy. The Æsir go to Yggdrasil daily to hold their courts. The branches of Yggdrasil extend far into the heavens, and the tree is supported by three roots that extend far away into other locations; one to the well Urdarbrunnr in the heavens, one to the spring Hvergelmir, and another to the well Mímisbrunnr. Creatures live within Yggdrasil, including the harts Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór, and an unnamed eagle, and the wyrm Nídhöggr. Yggdrasil is here compiled of springs, rivers, lakes and glaciers of Iceland.

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