Yggdrasil is an enormous tree that connects the nine worlds in Norse cosmology. It supports all creation such as gods, giants, men and beasts. Yggdrasil can also be called the World Tree or the Tree of Life, because it represents the cycle of birth, death, growth and rebirth. In Norse cosmology, it consists of nine worlds unified by the world tree Yggdrasil. The name Yggdrasil apparently means “the horse of Yggr”, “The Terrible”. It is another name for Odin. Odin desires the power to control destiny. Must be able to see and decipher magical runes. Runes are symbols that convey wisdom, intention and power. The Norns who live in the Well of Urd at the base of the World Tree are the only ones who understand the runes. “Urd” means destiny. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Yggdrasil is the tree of life and is an eternal green ash tree. The branches extend towards the nine worlds of Norse mythology. The first worlds that exist before any of the other realms are Niflheim and Muspelheim. An abyss separates the two from each other. Niflheim is the kingdom of ice and Muspelheim is the kingdom of fire. The interaction between fire and ice generates the first living beings. Inside Yggdrasil live creatures such as Nidhogg, an eagle, and deer. The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems written by unknown authors. It refers to the mystical tree and its sacred nature. Yggdrasil has three enormous roots that extend far into other realms. The three roots end in Asgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim. The first root ends in the Well of Urd which is located in Asgard. Three Norns protect the Well of Urd. Every day all the gods gather at the Well of Urd to hold a council. The second root leads to Jotunheim. A giant called Mimir guards the Well of Wisdom. Mimir drinks from the Well of Wisdom with the Gjoll horn every day. In Norse mythology, Odin is thirsty for wisdom and goes to ask Mimir to drink from the well. Mimir agrees, but only on one condition, that Odin sacrifice an eye for a drink. The third root leads to Niflheim. It has the oldest well, Hvergilmer, which is the source of the eleven rivers. Creatures also live on the Tree of Life. One of them is Ratatosk. Ratatosk is a squirrel who likes to gossip about things. Ratatosk also carries messages to and from a serpentine dragon, Nidhogg. Another is an Eagle who lives at the top of the Tree of Life. Nidhogg and the eagle hate each other, and the message carried back and forth from Ratatosk consists of insults. Dvalinn, Durabror, Duneyrr and Dainn are the four deer who leap around the branches of the Tree of Life and eat the tree's buds. Animals chew on the roots and branches of the Tree of Life, which can damage the health of the Tree of Life. Yggdrasil is the source of life, destiny and wisdom. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In Norse mythology Ragnarok is a series of events that say there will be total and utter chaos that will cause the destruction of the world. A red rooster telling the Giants that Ragnarok has begun will indicate signs of Ragnarok's arrival. The Giants and Aesir will fight each other. It will be a time of conflict and desperation for the inhabitants of the Tree of Life. Almost everyone will die, but only two humans will survive hiding in the depths of Yggdrasil. Once the chaos is over they will have descendants and repopulate the world.