with the ox's head. The God-hated one who girds all lands from below
swallowed the bait. Doughtily pulled mighty Thor the poison-streaked
serpent up to the side; he struck down with his hammer the hideous
head of the wolf's companion. The monster roared, the wilderness
resounded, the old earth shuddered all through. The fish sank back
into the sea. Gloomy was the giant when they rowed back, so that he
spoke not a word."

There is nothing to suggest that Jörmungandr, to whom the word
World-Snake (Midgardsorm) always refers in the Edda, is the same as
Nidhögg, the serpent that gnaws at Yggdrasil's roots; but both are
relics of Snake-worship.

* * * * *

_The World-Ash_, generally called Yggdrasil's Ash, is one of the most
interesting survivals of tree-worship. It is described by the Sibyl
in _Völuspa_: "I know an ash called Yggdrasil, a high tree sprinkled
with white moisture (thence come the dews that fall in the dales):
it stands ever-green by Urd's spring. Thence come three maids,
all-knowing, from the hall that stands under the tree"; and as a
sign of the approaching doom she says: "Yggdrasil's ash trembles as
it stands; the old tree groans." _Grimnismal_ says that the Gods go
every day to hold judgment by the ash, and describes it further:

"Three roots lie three ways under Yggdrasil's ash: Hel dwells under
one, the frost-giants under the second, mortal men under the third. The
squirrel is called Ratatosk who shall run over Yggdrasil's ash;
he shall carry down the eagle's words, and tell them to Nidhögg
below. There are four harts, with necks thrown back, who gnaw