Heimdall

Heimdall travelled along the sea coast in disguise as Ríg and entered the modest home of Ai and Edda. The elderly couple received him and gave him coarse, heavy bread and soup. Ríg offered advice, then lay between them in their bed. He stayed there for three nights before continuing along the road. These events are told in Rígsþula, the Lay of Ríg.

Nine months later, Edda gave birth to a son. She sprinkled water over him and named him Thrall. He had dark skin, furrowed skin on his hands, thick fingers, knotted knuckles, long heels, a crooked back, and an ugly face. He grew strong and capable of hard work. He bound bast rope into bundles and carried brushwood home throughout the day.

A bandy-legged girl named Thir came to the farm. Mud covered her feet. She was a thrall, and she married Thrall. Their descendants became the Thralls, the class of servants and labourers. Ríg then continued along the road to visit other households, where further human classes began. Rígsþula breaks off during its account of these lineages.

The sons of the victory-gods sat drinking ale in Ægir’s hall. They spoke about weapons and readiness for war. Eldir warned Loki that none of the Æsir and elves inside had a friendly word for him. Loki replied that he would enter the hall, bring quarrelling and strife, and mix their mead with malice. Eldir answered that accusations and scandal would be turned against him. Loki said he would have strong replies if Eldir spoke too much. He then entered. When the guests saw him, they all fell silent. The exchange is recorded in Lokasenna, the Flyting of Loki.

Loki declared that he had come thirsty to the hall. Bragi, sitting apart from the other gods, offered him a horse, a sword, and a ring if he would not repay the Æsir with hatred. Loki rejected the offer and called Bragi the wariest of the Æsir and elves in battle. Bragi threatened to take Loki’s head if he were outside the hall, but Loki mocked him for speaking boldly from his seat. Idunn asked Bragi to remember their kin ties and not exchange words of blame.

Loki continued through the gathering, trading accusations with the gods. He attacked Odin, Frigg, Freyia, Niord, and Tyr. Odin answered by recalling Loki’s time beneath the earth, where he had taken the form of a milch cow and a woman and borne children. Loki then accused Odin of practising seid on Samsey and travelling among mankind in the likeness of a wizard. Frigg warned them not to reveal what had happened in former times. Loki also made accusations about Freyia and Niord, while Niord answered that his son Freyr was loved and regarded as the protector of the Æsir.

Heimdall rebuked Loki. He called him drunk and out of his wits, and told him to stop speaking. He said that too much drinking made people unaware of their own talkativeness. Loki ordered Heimdall to be silent and continued the quarrel. Later, Loki said that he had spoken before the Æsir and their sons as his mind prompted him, but that he would leave before Heimdall alone because he knew Heimdall would strike him.

Three red cockerels crowed at once. Ragnarök began with three winters without summer, wars among humankind, and darkness after the wolves swallowed the sun and moon. The serpent Jormungand left the sea and rolled towards Vigrid, the great battlefield. Fenrir followed, while the frost giants sailed towards the field. Loki gathered the dead from Hel into Naglfar, a ship made from the fingernails and toenails of dead men. Surtr led the fire giants, and the warriors of Hel, Hrym’s troops, Fenrir, and the Midgard serpent assembled for battle.

Heimdall watched these forces gather. He lifted the Gjallarhorn, once Mimir’s horn, and blew it with all his strength. Its sound shook Asgard. The sleeping gods woke, took up their weapons, and gathered beneath Yggdrasil at Urd’s well. There they received the norns’ blessing and counsel. Odin rode Sleipnir to Mimir’s well to seek advice from Mimir’s head.

The armies met on Vigrid. Odin was swallowed by Fenrir, but Vidar killed the wolf. Frey fell to Surtr. Thor killed Jormungand with Mjolnir, then retreated nine paces before he died from the serpent’s venom. Tyr and Garm killed each other. Heimdall remained standing, with his sword Hofud wet with blood. Loki also survived the fighting, bloodied and wild-eyed. They crossed the field towards one another, walking through corpses, blood, and flames.

Loki and Heimdall fought with swords. They slashed, stabbed, and hacked at each other until both fell mortally wounded. Loki claimed victory as he died. Heimdall answered that he could see farther. Vidar and Vali still lived, and Thor’s sons Magni and Modi had taken Mjolnir from their father’s dead hand. Heimdall said that Surtr’s fire could not reach the world-tree, then died beside Loki. Smoke rose around Yggdrasil, fire reached the heavens, and the graves of gods, giants, and men were swallowed by the sea. Afterwards, the earth rose green from the water.