"Then said Gangleri: "Where is the chief abode or holy place of the gods?""

"Hárr answered: 'That is at the Ash of Yggdrasill; there the gods must give judgment everyday.""

"Then Gangleri asked: "What is to be said concerning that place?""

"Then said Jafnhárr: "The Ash is greatest of all trees and best: its limbs spread out over all the world and stand above heaven."

"Three roots of the tree uphold it and stand exceeding broad:"

"one is among the Æsir; another among the Rime-Giants, in that place where aforetime was the Yawning Void;"

"the third stands over Niflheim,"

"and under that root is Hvergelmir, and Nídhöggr gnaws the root from below."

"But under that root which turns toward the Rime-Giants is Mímir's Well, wherein wisdom and understanding are stored;"

"and he is called Mímir, who keeps the well."

"He is full of ancient lore, since he drinks of the well from the Gjallar-Horn."

"Thither came Allfather and craved one drink of the well;"

"but he got it not until he had laid his eye in pledge."