WOTAN (grandson of BURE, god freed by a gigantic cow; son of BOR, and father of all the gods), said : "If MEN can REACH AS-GARD (Universe) by CLIMBING the BIFROST BRIDGE, then the GIANTS will try to INVADE VALHALLA (the palace at the centre of the Universe).
WOTAN decided : "We shall BUILD A FORTRESS AT THE FOOT OF the BRIDGE and
HEIMDALL, our most faithful SON, shall GUARD IT."
The FORTRESS was called Hi-min-bjorg and faithful HEIMDALL never slept. If danger approach, he would summon the gods by blowing a golden TRUMPET that made the HEAVENS SHAKE and the STARS SHIVER.
WOTAN also PROTECTED the EARTH. He planted a giant ASH TREE (Yggdrasil), which was so enormous that the TIPS of its BRANCHES TOUCHED the top of the SKY. Its TRUNK stretched through the HEAVENS and its ROOTS plunged DEEP into the EARTH.
There were THREE roots.
UNDERNEATH the FIRST was the EARTH (MID-GARD) the land given to MEN by WOTAN.
Under the SECOND ROOT was NASTRAND, the GLOOMY KINGDOM ruled by the DRAGON
(Nidhogg). He guarded the SOULS of MEN and WOMEN who had died - all EXCEPT the SOULS
of the HEROES who had been TAKEN TO VALHALLA (palace at the center of the Universe) by the Valkyries.
Under the THIRD ROOT lived THE GIANTS.
THREE RIVERS flowed UNDER the giant ASH TREE (Yggdrasil), and CLOSE to the SECOND RIVER lived THREE MAIDENS, Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld. They HELD the KEY to the FUTURE. They tended the TREE of the WORLD and watered it, for they knew that the safety of the WORLD DEPENDED UPON IT. And since They were also the CONTROLLERS of DESTINY they knew full well how important their task was.
Their greatest ENEMY was the DRAGON (Nidhogg), who continually GNAWED at the ROOTS of
the ASH TREE (Yggdrasil), hoping to KILL the LIFE-GIVING TREE and CLAIM the SOULS of all
MEN and WOMEN who lived under ITS PROTECTION.
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