Niflheim

Etymology

Nifl ("mist"; whence the Icelandic nifl) is a cognate to the Old English nifol ("dark, gloomy"), (Middle) Dutch nevel, Old High German nebul ("fog") and Ancient Greek νεφέλη, , ("cloud").

''Gylfaginning''

In Gylfaginning by Snorri Sturluson, Gylfi, the king of ancient Scandinavia, receives an education in Norse mythology from Odin in the guise of three men. Gylfi learns from Odin (as Jafnhárr) that Niflheimr was the first world to be created after Muspelheim: Odin (as Þriði) further tells Gylfi that it was when the ice from Niflheimr met the flames from Muspelheimr that creation began and Ymir was formed:

In relation to the world tree Yggdrasill, Jafnhárr (Odin) tells Gylfi that frost jötnar is located under the second root, where Ginnungagap (Yawning Void) once was:

Gylfi is furthermore informed that when Loki had engendered Hel, she was cast into Niflheimr by Odin:

Hel thus became the mistress of the world of those dead in disease and old age. This is the only instance in which Niflheim and Hel are equated (the Poetic Edda mentions Hel but doesn't say anything about Niflheim). However, there is some confusion in the different versions of the manuscript, with some of them saying Niflheim where others say Niflhel (the lowest level of Hel). Thus in the passage about the last destination of the jötunn who was killed by Thor after he had built Asgard:

''Hrafnagaldr Óðins''

In Hrafnagaldr Óðins, there is a brief mention of Niflheimr as a location in the North, towards which the sun (Alfr's illuminator) chased the night as it rose:

References

1. "Oxford English Dictionary: Niflheim".
2. "Niflheim {{!}} Norse mythology". Encyclopedia Britannica.
3. "hell - Origin and meaning of hell by Online Etymology Dictionary".
4. "nifol - Search Online Etymology Dictionary".
5. Section III of ''Gylfaginning'', in translation by [[Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur]] (1916), [https://books.google.com/books?id=_T1cAAAAMAAJ&dq=midmost+within+it+lies+the+well+that+is+called+Hvergelmir&pg=PA16 p. 16].
6. Section VII of ''Gylfaginning'', in translation by Brodeur (1916), [https://books.google.com/books?id=_T1cAAAAMAAJ&dq=Ginnungagap+was+as+mild+as+windless+air&pg=PA17 p. 17].
7. Section XV of ''Gylfaginning'', in translation by Brodeur (1916), [https://books.google.com/books?id=_T1cAAAAMAAJ&dq=midmost+within+it+lies+the+well+that+is+called+Hvergelmir&pg=PA16 p. 27].
8. Section XLII of ''Gylfaginning'', in translation by Brodeur (1916), [https://books.google.com/books?id=_T1cAAAAMAAJ&dq=midmost+within+it+lies+the+well+that+is+called+Hvergelmir&pg=PA16 p. 42].
9. Section XXXIV of ''Gylfaginning'', in translation by Brodeur (1916), [https://books.google.com/books?id=_T1cAAAAMAAJ&q=they+did+not+regard+their+oaths+reverently%2C+but+called+on+Thor&pg=PA16 p. 55].
10. ''[http://etext.old.no/Bugge/forspjal.html Hrafnagaldr Óðins]'' in [[Sophus Bugge]]'s edition.
11. ''[http://www.germanicmythology.com/works/ThorpeEdda/thorpe04.html Odin’s Ravens’ Song]'' in translation by [[Benjamin Thorpe]] (1866).