The Asas[4] met On Ida's plains, Who altars raised And temples built; Anvils they laid, And money coined; Their strength they tried In various ways, When making songs, And forming tools. On th' green they played In joyful mood, Nor knew at all The want of gold, Until there came Three Thursa maids, Exceeding strong, From Jotunheim:[5] . . . . Until there came Out of the ranks, Powerful and fair, Three Asas home, And found on shore, In helpless plight, Ask and Embla [6] Without their fate. They had not yet Spirit or mind, Blood, or beauty, Or lovely hue. Odin gave spirit, Heinir gave mind, Lothur gave blood And lovely hue. [1] Ymer, the progenitor of the giants. [2] Bor, the father of Odin, Vile, and Ve. [3] Midgard, the earth. [4] Asas, the gods. [5] The home of the giants. [6] The first man and first woman made out of pine trees by the three gods Odin, Heinir, and Lothur. --Tr. by Henderson. The second passage gives an account of the universal dissolution--called Ragnarok, the Twilight of the Gods. Loud barks Garm 1] At Gnipa-cave; The fetters are severed, The wolf is set free, Vala[2] knows the future. More does she see Of the victorious gods, Terrible fall. From the east drives Hrym,[3] Bears his child before him; Jormungander welters In giant fierceness; The waves thunder; The eagle screams, Rends the corpses with pale beak, And Naglfar[4] is launched. A ship from the east nears, The hosts of Muspel Come o'er the main, But Loke is pilot. All grim and gaunt monsters Conjoin with the wolf, And before them all goes The brother of Byleist.[5] From the south wends Surt [6] With seething fire; The sun of the war-god Shines in his sword; Mountains together dash, And frighten the giant-maids; Heroes tread the paths to Hel, And heaven in twain is rent. Over Him [7] then shall come Another woe, When Odin goes forth The wolf to combat. . . . . All men Abandon the earth. The sun darkens, The earth sinks into the ocean; The lucid stars From heaven vanish; Fire and vapor Rage toward heaven; High flames Involve the skies. Loud barks Garm At Gnipa-eave: The fetters are severed, The wolf is set free,-- Vala knows the future. More does she see Of the victorious gods, Terrible fall. [1] Hel's dog. [2] Vala, the prophetess. [3] The winter. [4] Naglfar, a ship of the gods. [5] The brother of Byleist, Loke. [6] Surt, a fire-giant. [7] Hlin, a name sometimes used for the goddess, Frigg. --Tr. by Thorpe. The conclusion of the "Voluspa "is the following picture of the regenerated earth. She sees arise, The second time, From the sea, the earth Completely green: Cascades do fall; The eagle soars, That on the hills Pursues his prey. The gods convene On Ida's plains, And talk of man, The worm of dust: They call to mind Their former might, And the ancient runes Of Fimbultyr.[1]