Hvergelmir (Old Norse "bubbling boiling spring"[1]) is an important primal wellspring inNorse mythology. Hvergelmir is attested in thePoetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and theProse Edda, written in the 13th century bySnorri Sturluson. In thePoetic Edda, Hvergelmir is mentioned in a single stanza, which details that it is the location where liquid from the antlers of the stagEikþyrnir flow, and that the spring, "whence all waters rise", is the source of numerous rivers.[2] TheProse Edda repeats this information and adds that the spring is located inNiflheim, that it is one of the three major springs at the primary roots of the cosmic treeYggdrasil (the other two areUrðarbrunnr andMímisbrunnr), and that within the spring are a vast amount of snakes and thedragonNíðhöggr.
Hvergelmir is attested in the following works:
Hvergelmir receives a single mention in thePoetic Edda, found in the poemGrímnismál:
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This stanza is followed by three stanzas consisting mainly of the names of 42 rivers. Some of these rivers lead to the dwelling of the gods (such asGömul andGeirvimul), while at least two (Gjöll andLeipt), reach toHel.[2]
Hvergelmir is mentioned several times in theProse Edda. InGylfaginning,Just-as-High explains that the spring Hvergelmir is located in the foggy realm ofNiflheim: "It was many ages before the earth was created that Niflheim was made, and in its midst lies a spring called Hvergelmir, and from it flows the rivers called Svol, Gunnthra, Fiorm, Fimbulthul, Slidr and Hrid, Sylg and Ylg, Vid, Leiptr; Gioll is next to Hell-gates."[3]
Later inGylfaginning, Just-as-High describes the central tree Yggdrasil. Just-as-High says that three roots of the tree support it and "extend very, very far" and that the third of these three roots extends over Niflheim. Beneath this root, says Just-as-High, is the spring Hvergelmir, and that the base of the root is gnawed on by thedragonNíðhöggr.[4] Additionally, High says that Hvergelmir contains not only Níðhöggr but also so many snakes that "no tongue can enumerate them".[5]
The spring is mentioned a third time inGylfaginning where High recounts its source: the stagEikþyrnir stands on top of the afterlife hallValhalla feeding branches ofYggdrasil, and from the stag's antlers drips great amounts of liquid down into Hvergelmir. High tallies 26 rivers here.[6]
Hvergelmir is mentioned a final time in theProse Edda where Third discusses the unpleasantries ofNáströnd. Third notes that Hvergelmir yet worse than the venom-filled Náströnd because—by way of quoting a portion of a stanza from thePoetic Edda poemVöluspá—"There Nidhogg torments the bodies of the dead".[7]
The cosmological treeYggdrasil and its inhabitants inNorse mythology | |||||||
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| Roots reaching to |
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