The tree suffers great hardship from all the creatures which live on it. The poem Grímnismál identifies a number of beings which live in Yggdrasill. Later in Skáldskaparmál, Snorri includes Níðhǫggr in a list of various terms and names for swords. Snorri's knowledge of Níðhǫggr seems to come from two of the Eddic poems: Grímnismál and Völuspá. These are names for serpents: dragon, Fafnir, Jormungand, adder, Nidhogg, snake, viper, Goin, Moin, Grafvitnir, Grabak, Ofnir, Svafnir, masked one. In the Skáldskaparmál section of the Prose Edda Snorri specifies Níðhǫggr as a serpent in a list of names of such creatures: The same source also says that "he squirrel called Ratatoskr runs up and down the length of the Ash, bearing envious words between the eagle and Nídhǫggr. This root is placed over Niflheimr and Níðhǫggr gnaws it from beneath. It is sometimes believed that the roots are trapping the beast from the world. The Danish forms Nidhug and Nidhøg can also be encountered or Norwegian Nidhogg and Swedish Nidhögg.Īccording to the Gylfaginning part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, Níðhǫggr is a being which gnaws one of the three roots of Yggdrasill. The Modern Icelandic form Níðhöggur is also sometimes seen, with special characters or similarly anglicized. The name can be represented in English texts with i for í th, d or (rarely) dh for ð o for ǫ and optionally without r as in Modern Scandinavian reflexes. In the standardized Old Norse orthography, the name is spelled Níðhǫggr, but the letter ǫ is frequently replaced with the Modern Icelandic ö for reasons of familiarity or technical expediency. Thus, its name might refer to its role as a horrific monster in its action of chewing the corpses of the inhabitants of Náströnd: those guilty of murder, adultery, and oath-breaking. In historical Viking society, níð was a term for a social stigma, implying the loss of honor and the status of a villain. In Norse mythology, Níðhöggr ( Malice Striker, in Old Norse traditionally also spelled Níðhǫggr, often anglicized Nidhogg ) is a dragon who gnaws at a root of the world tree, Yggdrasil. Here, Nidhogg takes up his old responsibilities, becoming the representation of evil and chaos across the new worlds, and striking a balance once again.Níðhǫggr gnaws the roots of Yggdrasill in this illustration from a 17th-century Icelandic manuscript. After the giants have won, and the gods have been defeated, Nidhogg returns to his destined place at the roots of Yggdrasil. Taking the fight to Asgard, the giants are assisted by Nidhogg, who flies up from the underworld to aid in the battle. Affecting all of the Realms in different, but decidedly negative ways, Fimbulwinter weakens the gods, and the giants use this opportunity to strike. Doing this causes the World Tree to wither, ushering in a three-year Winter known as Fimbulwinter. Ragnarok officially begins when Nidhogg finally manages to chew through the roots of Yggdrasil. Nidhogg also plays a prominent role in Norse mythology's Ragnarok event, which sees the giants kill the gods and destroy most of the Nine Realms. Once the criminals have been tortured thoroughly, Nidhogg feasts on their corpses. In this hall, Nidhogg is known by another name: Malice Striker. Here, the dead criminals enter a great hall, where the walls are made of intertwining snakes, and the roof vents drip venom. After death, the worst criminals are sent to Nadastrond, a region of Hel that Nidhogg rules over. While his main role is presiding over Yggdrasil, Nidhogg is also in charge of punishing the Realms' worst criminals. Though their aggression seems devastating, this cycle is actually integral in keeping the Nine Realms balanced. After the two beings have expressed their rage and have calmed down, Yggdrasil is then bathed in the healing waters of Urd, which rejuvenates the tree. Fueled by their rage for each other, Nidhogg and the eagle can often be seen destroying parts of the World Tree, with Nidhogg chewing at the tree's roots, and the eagle picking off branches to throw at the dragon below.
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