153
The Aesir god Heimdall blows his
Gjallarhorn. The vigilant watchman
was known for his acute vision and
hearing. He was the first to know about
the coming of Ragnarök.See also: Odin and the world tree 134–39 ■ War of the gods 140–41 ■ Treasures of the gods 144–45 ■
Death of Baldur 148–49EUROPE
a mound and play his harp with
delight at what was to come. Three
birds would then crow to announce
the beginning of Ragnarök. First,
Gullinkambi (“Golden Comb”), who
lived in Valhalla, would awaken the
sleeping einherjar (“dead warriors”)
so they could prepare for their final
battle. An unnamed rust-red bird
would crow at the gates of Hel to
rouse the underworld, and the
third bird, Fjalar, would crow in
the foreboding Gálvidur (“Gallows
Wood”). The goddess-giant Hel’s
watchdog, Garm, would bay loudly,
break the rope that tethered it to its
cave, and run free.Reigning chaos
Human society would then begin
to break down as brother slayed
brother and incest and adultery
flourished. No man would spare
another. Heimdall, the watchman of
the gods, would blow the alarm on
his horn, Gjallarhorn, while Odin
would go to consult the preserved
head of the wise god Mímir. The
earth would start to shake, and the
world tree Yggdrasil would shudder
and groan, but it would not fall.
Giants would go on the rampageand countless terrified souls would
descend to Hel. Hrym would lead
the frost giants from the east;
Jörmungand, the Midgard serpent,
would churn up the sea in his rage;
and eagles would shriek and feast
on corpses. The sinister Naglfar
would set sail with fire giants on
board from Muspelheim, the home
of the giants. Loki would be at the
helm with his giant brother Byleist
alongside him. Surt, the greatest of
the fire giants, would advance from
the south. Rocky cliffs would split
open, spilling troll women from their
crevices. The sky would crack as
elves and dwarves howled in terror.
According to the Poetic Edda,
this would herald the start of battle.
Loki’s son, the monstrous wolf
Fenrir, would kill Odin, only for
Odin’s son Vidar to avenge his
death by thrusting his sword into
the wolf’s heart. Thor would slay
Jörmungand, but stagger just nine
steps before dropping dead himself.Surt would slay the fertility god
Freyr. As the battle raged, the
sun would turn black and the stars
would disappear from the sky.
Steam and flames would shoot as
high as the heavens as the ravaged
land finally sank beneath the sea.A return to tranquility
Soon, a new world would rise from
the waves, eternally green and with
crops that grew without sowing. ❯❯Warning sounds heralded the end of the world in “Völuspá.”
The giant Eggther
played his harp.A cockerel woke
the dead warriors
of Valhalla.The war of the gods began and the earth was annihilated by fire.
A bird crowed at
the gates of Hel;
her dog bayed.A third bird
crowed in Gallows
Wood.US_150-157_Ragnarok.indd 153 05/12/17 4:15 pm