Norse

**The Creation, D****eath, and Rebirth of the Universe** **( Norse Mythology)**
In the Norse creation myth, the world began with the empty void of Ginnungagap, from which sprang the first two worlds, the fiery world of Muspelheim and the icy world of Niflheim. The first being, Ymir the frost giant, was formed from a drop of melted ice of Niflheim. Ymir's cow, Audhumla, constantly licked a block of salty ice, and from this block of ice came the grandfather of the Norse Gods, Buri. Buri and his wife Bestla fathered three sons, Odin, Vili, and Ve, who would become the first Norse Gods.

The Gods and giants were enemies, and after Odin, Vili, and Ve killed Ymir, the gods fashioned the earth from his corpse. From his blood came the waters, his jaw formed the mountains, his smaller bones and teeth formed the rocks, his hair made up the forest, and his skull became the sky with his brain as the clouds. Stars were fashioned by the sparks and embers of Muspelheim, while the sun and moon rotated around earth as they were chased by wolves.

Along the shores of the salt seas, were an ash and an elm tree. The first man, Ask was created from the ash tree, and Embla was formed out of the elm tree. The great ash tree of Yggdrasil spreads across the heavens and is supported by three great roots; one root lies among the Gods in Asgard, one grows in the land among the Frost Giants, and the last in the cold land of Niflheim. The tree shelters and links the nine worlds.

The Norse creation myth also describes Ragnarok, the doom of the gods. During this time earth runs evil and wild. The wolf Haiti catches the sun, and the wolf Skoll swallows the moon; the seas are poisoned and the earth is set ablaze. The gods are killed and the humans walk to the road of hell. Everything is destroyed, but eventually the earth rises from the seas and evil leaves the world. The man, Lif and woman, Lifthrasir hide among the branches of the Yggdrasil tree, and become the parents of the next generation of human beings

For the Giants, things often just "Came into existence", but in the Bible and EE, everything was created with a purpose.
 * Notable Differences between Norse, Bible and Enuma Elish:**

In the Bible humans were the first intelligent beings created (other than the primary god) but in Norse and EE, other gods and giants were first.

First humans were clothed immediately for dignity in Norse, but in Bible they walked around nude and unashamed until they ate the fruot of knowledge of good and evil.(EE does not elaborate on this topic.)

In Norse, three separate Gods work together to create Earth, while in the Bible and EE it is only one god.

In the Bible it takes god 7 days to create the Earth, however in Norse and EE, it only takes one day.

In EE humans are created to serve the Gods but it does not specify in the Bible or Norse.

Norse mythology make a clear point about mentioning how the world will end as well as how it was created, the other two do not do this.


 * Similarities between** **Norse and Bible**:

First Man created, and then Woman

Humans created from parts of the Earth, (from trees in Norse, and from dust from Bible)

Ragnarok and "Blood Flood" = Noah's Ark flood: All included a massive flood that wiped out the world, where a few survivors restart life, without evil.

Valhalla=Heaven

Ask=Adam Embla=Eve

Anthropomorphic Gods


 * Similarities between** **Norse and Enuma Elish:**

Earth created from parts of a body

Serpent usually killed off by offspring of main god, Marduk kills Timat's serpent, Thor kills World Serpent.

Obvious multiple gods


 * Similarities between** **Norse, Bible, and Enuma Elish**:

Odin=God=Ea, All are oldest, most powerful, and ruler of other Gods.

All main Gods have powerful offspring (Jesus, Thor, Vidar, Marduk)

Starting words "In the Beginning"

Serpent=Satanic Figure

Earth Starts as and Empty Void with some type of mist

Violence


 * Picture Citation: http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/yggdrasil.jpg
 * Picture Citation (top):http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Yggdrasil_mythology.PNG/457px-Yggdrasil_mythology.PNG