This page deals with the two basic legends of norse mythology, the creation and Ragnarok (the end of the world).
The creation
In the beggining there was Muspelheim, a land filled with fire,and Niflheim,a land of ice, and in the middle of the two there was Ginnungagap a great void. Sparks and fire from Muspelheim mixed with the ice from Niflheim, and in the void they created Ymir, a giant and the first living thing. Soon a cow called Audumla appeared, Ymir survived on Audumla's milk.The first humans were created in his armpits and on his leg.
Another giant named Buri was frozen in the ice in Niflheim, Audumla licked the ice for food and Buri was uncovered. Buri created a son called Bor, who married the giantess Bestla, they had three sons; Odin, Vili and Ve, these were the founders of the race of gods. When Odin, Vili and Ve reached adulthood, Odin led his brothers on attack against Ymir, they killed him and Odin became supreme ruler of the world.
The gods then created the world out of Ymir's body, his blood became the oceans, his ribs the mountains and his flesh the earth. They created the race of dwarves from the maggots in Ymir's skull and they created men from an ash tree and women from an elm tree.
Ragnarok
Ragnarok was the end of the world,only two dwarves and a few gods survived the destruction of the worlds, the dwarves were Lif and Lifthrasir and one of the main gods who survived was Vidar son god of Odin and Grid godess of peace, it was a war between good and evil. The people on the side of the good were the Aesir, led by Odin. The evils were the giants led by Loki.
The unusual thing about the end of the world, was that all of the gods knew what was to happen, they knew who was going to kill who and who was going to be killed by whom, despite knowing this the gods were willing to face their destiny and fight to the death. Even the great warrior Thor died in a fight with Jormungand the Midgard serpent, he had bested the creature but the venom killed Thor as he walked away. The supreme ruler of everything that ever existed ,Odin, died aswell but unlike his son he lost fair and square but his son Vidar avenges his death by ripping Fenrir's jaws apart with his bare hands.