The Birth of a Giant and a Cow

How were the first giant and the gods’ ancestor born?

The poison flowing through the rivers called Elivagar hardened into ice when it traveled far from its source. The spray rising from it froze into frost. When hot air touched the frost, it melted into drops.

Life stirred in those drops, taking human shape as Ymir. The frost giants called him Aurgelmir. As Ymir slept, he began to sweat. Then a man and a woman grew beneath his left arm.

The cow Audhumla was also born from the drops of melting frost. Milk flowing from her udders fed Ymir. The cow herself lived by licking salty stones covered in frost.

By the evening of the first day she licked the stones, a person’s hair had appeared. The next day, a head emerged. By day 3, the whole body was uncovered. This was Buri. His grandsons were Odin, Vili, and Ve.

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