Editing Hel (location) (section)

===''Poetic Edda''===
In reference to Hel, in the poem ''[[Völuspá]]'', a [[völva]] states that Hel will play an important role in [[Ragnarök]]. The völva states that a crowing "sooty-red cock from the halls of Hel" is one of three cocks that will signal one of the beginning events of Ragnarök. The other two are Fjalar in [[Jotunheim]] and Gullinkambi in [[Valhalla]].<ref>The name of this rooster is nowhere stated. In ''[[Völuspá]]'', it is only referred to as a "sooty-red cock in the halls of Hel" that "crows down below the earth" (Larrington translation).</ref>

In ''[[Grímnismál]]'' stanza 31, Hel is listed as existing beneath one of the three roots of the world tree [[Yggdrasil]]. One of the other two leads to the [[Jötunn|frost jötnar]] and the third to Mankind. In ''[[Guðrúnarkviða I]]'', as Herborg tells of her grief in having prepared funeral arrangements for various members of her family, her children and her husbands, described it as "arranging their journey to Hel".<ref name=LARRINGTON>Larrington (1996).</ref>

In the short poem ''[[Helreið Brynhildar]]'', Hel is directly referenced as a location in the title, translating to "Brynhild's Hel-Ride". While riding along a road on the border of Hel in a lavish cart (the cart her corpse was burnt within), [[Brynhildr]] encounters a dead [[gýgr]] at a [[burial mound]] belonging to her. This results in a heated exchange, during which Brynhildr tells of her life.

In ''[[Baldrs draumar]]'', [[Odin]] rides to the edge of Hel to investigate nightmares that [[Baldr]] has had. He uses a spell to bring to life the corpse of a völva. Odin introduces himself under a false name and pretense and asks for information from the völva relating to Baldr's dreams. The völva reluctantly proceeds to produce prophecies regarding the events of [[Ragnarök]].

The poem gives some information regarding the geographic location of Hel in parallel to the description in the Prose Edda, which may be related to the fact that it was not included in the Codex Regius but is instead a later addition.<ref name=LARRINGTON/> [[Niflhel]] is mentioned as being just outside Hel. The bloody [[Garmr]] makes an appearance, encountering Odin on Odin's ride to Hel. Odin continues down the road and approaches Hel, which is described as the "high hall of Hel."<ref name=LARRINGTON/> There he proceeds to the grave of the völva near the eastern doors where the descriptions of Hel end.