Editing Hvergelmir (section)

==Attestations==
Hvergelmir is attested in the following works:

===''Poetic Edda''===
Hvergelmir receives a single mention in the ''Poetic Edda'', found in the poem ''Grímnismál'':
{|
|
:Eikthyrnir the hart is called,
:that stands o'er Odin's hall,
:and bites from Lærad's branches;
:from his horns fall drops into Hvergelmir,
:whence all waters rise:<ref name="THORPE-23"/>
|
|}
This stanza is followed by three stanzas consisting mainly of the names of 42 rivers. Some of these rivers lead to the dwelling of the gods (such as [[Gömul]] and [[Geirvimul]]), while at least two ([[Gjöll]] and [[Leipt]]), reach to [[Hel (location)|Hel]].<ref name="THORPE-23"/>

===''Prose Edda''===
Hvergelmir is mentioned several times in the ''Prose Edda''. In ''[[Gylfaginning]]'', [[High, Just-As-High, and Third|Just-as-High]] explains that the spring Hvergelmir is located in the foggy realm of [[Niflheim]]: "It was many ages before the earth was created that Niflheim was made, and in its midst lies a spring called Hvergelmir, and from it flows the rivers called Svol, Gunnthra, Fiorm, Fimbulthul, Slidr and Hrid, Sylg and Ylg, Vid, Leiptr; Gioll is next to Hell-gates."<ref name="FAULKES- 9-10">Faulkes (1995:9-10).</ref>

Later in ''Gylfaginning'', Just-as-High describes the central tree Yggdrasil. Just-as-High says that three roots of the tree support it and "extend very, very far" and that the third of these three roots extends over Niflheim. Beneath this root, says Just-as-High, is the spring Hvergelmir, and that the base of the root is gnawed on by the [[Germanic dragon|dragon]] [[Níðhöggr]].<ref name="FAULKES-17">Faulkes (1995:17).</ref> Additionally, High says that Hvergelmir contains not only Níðhöggr but also so many snakes that "no tongue can enumerate them".<ref name="FAULKES-19">Faulkes (1995:19).</ref>

The spring is mentioned a third time in  ''Gylfaginning'' where High recounts its source: the stag [[Eikþyrnir]] stands on top of the afterlife hall [[Valhalla]] feeding branches of [[Yggdrasil]], and from the stag's antlers drips great amounts of liquid down into Hvergelmir. High tallies 26 rivers here.<ref name="FAULKES-33">Faulkes (1995:33).</ref>

Hvergelmir is mentioned a final time in the ''Prose Edda'' where Third discusses the unpleasantries of [[Náströnd]]. Third notes that Hvergelmir yet worse than the venom-filled Náströnd because—by way of quoting a portion of a stanza from the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''[[Völuspá]]''—"There Nidhogg torments the bodies of the dead".<ref name="FAULKES-56">Faulkes (1995:56).</ref>