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(harvest-month) is the last before winter; Gormánud (gore-month, called thus from the slaughter of cattle then taking place) the first month of winter; Frermánud (frost-month); Hrútmánud (the ram’s month); Thorri (the month of waning or declining winter); Gói, Einmánud … then Gaukmánud or Sádtid (cuckoo-month or sowing-tide); Eggtíd or Stekktíd (egg-tide or weaning-tide); Sólmánud or Selmánud (sun-month or sæter-month in which the cattle are removed to the sel or sæter); Heyjannir (haymaking-month); Kornskurdarmánud (grain-reaping month)” (Skaldskaparmal, c. 63).

      The month was subdivided into six weeks; each week contained five days. The days were called—Týsdag = Tuesday; Ódinsdag = Wednesday; Thórsdag = Thursday; Frjádag = Friday; Laugardag (bath-day) or Thváttdag (washing-day) = Saturday.

      Odin.

      Tell me …

      Whence the moon came

      That walks above men,

      And the sun also?

      Vafthrudnir.

      Mundilfori³⁷ is called

      The father of the moon,

      And of the sun also;

      Wheel round the heaven

      They shall every day,

      And tell men of the years.

      Odin.

      Tell me …

      Whence the day came

      That passes over mankind,

      Or the night with her new moon?

      Vafthrudnir.

      Delling (the bright) is called

      The father of Dag (the day)

      But Nott (night) was Norvi’s³⁸ daughter;

      The full moons and the new ones

      The good gods made

      To tell men the years.

      (Vafthrudnismal.)

      The following is the origin of Midgard:—

      Ere the sons of Bör

      Raised the lands,

      They who shaped

      The famous Midgard;

      The sun shone from the south

      On the stones of the hall;

      Then the ground grew

      With green grass.

      The sun from the south,³⁹

      The companion of the moon,

      With her right hand took hold

      Of the rim of heaven;⁴⁰

      The sun knew not

      Where she⁴¹ owned halls,

      The moon knew not

      What power he⁴² had;

      The stars knew not

      Where they owned places.

      Then all the powers went

      To their judgment seats,⁴³

      The most holy gods

      Counselled about this;

      To night and the quarters of the moon

      Gave they names;

      They gave names to

      Morning and midday,

      To afternoon and eve,

      That the years might be reckoned.

      (Völuspa.)

      Then we have the origin of the wind and of winter. Hræsvelg means the swallower of corpses.

       Odin.

      Tell me …

      Whence the wind comes

      Who goes over the waves;

      Men do not see him.

      Vafthrudnir.

      Hræsvelg is called

      He who sits at heaven’s end,

      A Jötun in an eagle’s shape;

      From his wings

      It is said the wind comes

      Over all mankind.

      Odin.

      Tell me …

      Whence the winter came,

      Or the warm summer,

      First with the wise gods.

      Vafthrudnir.

      Vindsval⁴⁴ is called

      The father of winter,

      And Svasud⁴⁵ the father of summer.

      Another amplification of the Creation is given in Gylfaginning.

      Thridi said:

      “They took Ymir’s skull, and made thereof the sky, and raised it over the earth with four sides. Under each corner they set four Dvergar, which were called Austri, East; Vestri, West; Nordri, North; Sudri, South. Then they took glowing sparks that were loose and had been cast out from Muspelheim, and placed them in the midst of the boundless heaven, both above and below, to light up heaven and earth; they gave resting-places to all fires, and set some in heaven; some were made free to go under heaven, but they gave them a place and shaped their course. In old songs it is said that from that time days and years were reckoned.”

      The creation of the world, and of the heavens and planets, is followed by that of the Dvergar and of man and woman, who were helpless and fateless (their destinies not having been spun by the Nornir); from these two mankind are descended.

      Then all the gods went

      To their judgment-seats,

      The most holy gods,

      And counselled about

      Who should create

      The host of Dvergar

      From the bloody surf⁴⁶

      And from the bones of Blain.

      There did Modsognir⁴⁷

      The mightiest become

      Of all Dvergar,

      And Durin next to him;

      They two shaped

      Many man-likenesses

      In the ground,

      As Durin has told.⁴⁸

      * * * * *

      It is time to reckon

      Down to Lofar,

      For mankind (Gónar),

      The Dvergar in Dvalin’s host,⁴⁹

      Those who went

      From the stone-halls,

      The host of Aurvangar,

      To Jöruvellir (battle-plains).

      * * * * *

      Until out of that host⁵⁰

      To the house⁵¹

      Came three Asar

      Mighty and mild;

      They found on the ground

      Ask and Embla,

      Helpless

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