“The wolf Fenrir advancing, opens his enormous mouth; the lower jaw reaches to the earth, and the upper one to heaven, and would in fact reach still farther were there space to admit of it.  Fire flashes from his eyes and nostrils.  The Midgard serpent, placing himself by the side of the wolf, vomits forth floods of poison which overwhelm the air and the waters.  Amidst this devastation heaven is cleft in twain, and the sons of Muspell ride through the breach.  Surtur rides first, and both before and behind him flames burning fire.  His sword outshines the sun itself.  Bifrost, as they ride over it, breaks to pieces.  Then they direct their course to the battlefield called Vigrid.  Thither also repair the wolf Fenrir and the Midgard serpent, and also Loki, with all the followers of Hel, and Hrym with all the Hrimthursar.  But the sons of Muspell keep their effulgent bands apart on the field of battle, which is one hundred miles long on every side.

65.  “Meanwhile Heimdall stands up, and with all his force sounds the Gjallar-horn to arouse the gods, who assemble without delay.  Odin then rides to Mimir’s well and consults Mimir how he and his warriors ought to enter into action.  The ash Yggdrasill begins to shake, nor is there anything in heaven or earth exempt from fear at that terrible hour.  The AEsir and all the heroes of Valhalla arm themselves and speed forth to the field, led on by Odin, with his golden helm and resplendent cuirass, and his spear called Gungnir.  Odin places himself against the wolf Fenrir; Thor stands by his side, but can render him no assistance, having himself to combat with the Midgard serpent.  Frey encounters Surtur, and terrible blows are exchanged ere Frey falls; and he owes his defeat to his not having that trusty sword he gave to Skirnir.  That day the dog Garm, who had been chained in the Gnipa cave, breaks loose.  He is the most fearful monster of all, and attacks Tyr, and they kill each other.  Thor gains great renown for killing the Midgard serpent, but at the same time, recoiling nine paces, falls dead upon the spot suffocated by the floods of venom which the dying serpent vomits forth upon him.  The wolf swallows Odin, but at that instant Vidar advances, and setting his foot on the monster’s lower jaw, seizes the other with his hand, and thus tears and rends him till he dies.  Vidar is able to do this because he wears those shoes for which stuff has been gathering in all ages, namely, the shreds of leather which are cut off to form the toes and heels of shoes, and it is on this account that those who would render a service to the AEsir should take care to throw such shreds away.  Loki and Heimdall fight, and mutually kill each other.

“After this, Surtur darts fire and flame over the earth, and the whole universe is consumed.”

OF THE ABODES OF FUTURE BLISS AND MISERY.

66.  “What will remain,” said Gangler, “after heaven and earth and the whole universe shall be consumed, and after all the gods, and the heroes of Valhalla, and all mankind shall have perished?  For ye have already told me that every one shall continue to exist in some world or other, throughout eternity.”