Day and Night Cross the Sky

How do Day and Night travel across the sky?

In “The Deluding of Gylfi,” Night is a giant’s daughter, and Day is her child. Each received a horse and chariot and was sent into the sky to circle the earth. Night travels ahead of Day.

Each morning, foam falls from the mouth of Night’s horse, Hrimfaxi, wetting the ground. This is dew. Day’s horse is called Skinfaxi. The light from his mane shines across all the sky and earth.

Mundilfari named his daughter Sol and his son Mani. Angered by his pride, the gods placed the children in the sky. Sol drove the horses that pulled the sun’s chariot. Mani guided the moon’s course and its waxing and waning.

Mani took Bil and Hjuki from the earth while they were carrying water from a well. In “The Sayings of Grimnir,” the shield Svalinn stands in front of the sun. If the shield slips away, the mountains and seas will burn.

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