Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

atmosphere, and as we have also learned that they are daughters of him who superintends
the motion of the constellations, we are unable to see anything but harmony in these
statements. Mundilföri and Gevarr-Nökkvi-Nefr are the same person. 17
It should be added that the moon-goddess, like her father, could be called Máni
without there being any obstacle in the masculine form of the word. The name of the
goddess Skaði is also masculine in form, and is inflected as a masculine noun (oblique
case, Skaða - Skáldskaparmál 3, 23). 18 93.
COSMOGRAPHIC REVIEW.
In the preceding pages various scattered contributions have been made to
Germanic cosmography, and particularly to the topography of the lower world. It may not
be out of the way to gather and complete these fragments.
The world-tree's three roots, which divide themselves in the lower world and
penetrate through the three lower-world fountains into the foundations of the worldstructure
and hold it together, stand in a direction from north to south -- the northernmost
over the Hvergelmir fountain, with its cold waters; the middle one over Mimir's well,
which is the fountain of spiritual forces; and the third over Urd's well, whose liquids give
warmth to Yggdrasil (see No. 63).
Likewise, in a north and south direction, stands the bridge Bifröst, also called
Bilröst, Ásbrú (Grímnismál 29), and in a bold paraphrase, previously not understood,
þjóðvitnis fiskur, "the fish of the folk-wolf." The paraphrase occurs in Grímnismál 21 in
its description of Valhall and other abodes of the gods:
17 As seen above, Mundilföri and Gevarr-Nökkvi-Nefr are best interpreted as father and son.
18 Rydberg's invention of a feminine form Máni is linguistically impossible. Máni is firmly a masculine
name. Skaði is simply a feminine form ending in -i. This type of word is rare, but other forms do exist. That
Snorri uses Skaða as the oblique case in Skáldskaparmál may indicate that he was at a loss as to how the
name should be declined.