A ship comes from the east, The hosts of Muspel Come o'er the main, And Loke is steersman. All the fell powers Are with the wolf; Along with them Is Byleist's brother.[65]
From the south comes Surt With blazing fire-brand,-- The sun of the war-god Shines from his sword. Mountains dash together, Giant maids are frightened, Heroes go the way to Hel, And heaven is rent in twain.
Then comes to Hlin Another woe, When Odin goes With the wolf to fight, And Bele's bright slayer[66] To contend with Surt. There will fall Frigg's beloved.
Odin's son goes To fight with the wolf, And Vidar goes on his way To the wild beast.[67] With his hand he thrusts His sword to the heart Of the giant's child, And avenges his father.
Then goes the famous Son[68] of Hlodyn To fight with the serpent. Though about to die, He fears not the contest; All men Abandon their homesteads When the warder of Midgard In wrath slays the serpent.
The sun grows dark, The earth sinks into the sea, The bright stars From heaven vanish; Fire rages, Heat blazes, And high flames play 'Gainst heaven itself.[69]
[Footnote 69: Elder Edda: The Vala's Prophecy, 50-52, 54-57, 59, 60, 62, 63.]
Vigrid is the name of the plain Where in fight shall meet Surt and the gentle god. A hundred miles It is every way. This field is marked out for them.[70]
[Footnote 70: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner's Lay, 18.]
57. Then asked Ganglere: What happens when heaven and earth and all the world are consumed in flames, and when all the gods and all the einherjes and all men are dead? You have already said that all men shall live in some world through all ages. Har answered: There are many good and many bad abodes. Best it is to be in Gimle, in heaven. Plenty is there of good drink for those who deem this a joy in the hall called Brimer. That is also in heaven. There is also an excellent hall which stands on the Nida mountains. It is built of red gold, and is called Sindre. In this hall good and well-minded men shall dwell. Nastrand is a large and terrible hall, and its doors open to the north. It is built of serpents wattled together, and all the heads of the serpents turn into the hall and vomit forth venom that flows in streams along the hall, and in these streams wade perjurers and murderers. So it is here said: