The Suffering of the World Tree
At the center of the Norse cosmos stands Yggdrasil, the immense ash tree whose branches hold up the sky and whose three great roots reach into the different worlds. The tree binds all things together, yet it is never at peace, for many creatures feed upon it day and night.
Beneath one of its roots lies the spring Hvergelmir, in the cold mists of the underworld. There the dragon Nidhogg coils and gnaws endlessly at the root, tearing at the very foundation of the tree along with a host of serpents that can never be counted.
High in the branches sits a great eagle, and between the dragon below and the eagle above scurries the squirrel Ratatoskr, carrying spiteful messages back and forth to keep their ancient quarrel alive. The tree endures more torment than any person knows.
Creatures of the Tree
Nidhogg the Gnawer
The dragon that chews at the deepest root of Yggdrasil and feeds upon the corpses of the dishonored dead in the underworld.
The Spring Hvergelmir
The roaring, icy well beneath the root, source of many rivers and home to Nidhogg and its countless serpents.
Ratatoskr the Messenger
The squirrel who runs the length of the trunk, carrying insults between Nidhogg at the roots and the eagle at the crown.
The Eagle and the Stags
A wise eagle sits atop the tree, while four stags run among its branches and browse its highest leaves.
A Survivor of the End
The endless gnawing of Nidhogg is one of the slow torments that wear at the world before Ragnarök. When the final battle comes and the old order falls, the dragon is said to survive, rising from below with the bodies of the dead upon its wings, a dark shadow passing over the world that emerges from the ruin.
Sources and Related Tales
The tree and its creatures are described in the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál and in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, which together map the strange ecology of Yggdrasil.
Quick Facts
From Crown to Root
The Eagle
Wise watcher at the treetop
Ratatoskr
The insult-bearing squirrel
Nidhogg
The gnawing dragon below
Themes & Symbolism
Order Under Strain: The tree that holds the cosmos is forever being eaten from below.
Strife at Every Level: From eagle to dragon, the World Tree is full of quarrel.
Endurance: Yggdrasil suffers greatly yet survives even Ragnarök.