t his crowing the Giants aroused themselves. High up
in Asgard a cock crew, the golden cock Gullinkambir, and at his crowing
the Champions in Valhalla bestirred themselves.

A dog barked; deep down in the earth a dog barked; it was Garm, the
hound with bloody mouth, barking in Gnipa's Cave. The Dwarfs who heard
groaned before their doors of stone. The tree Ygdrassil moaned in all
its branches. There was a rending noise as the Giants moved their ship;
there was a trampling sound as the hosts of Muspelheim gathered their
horses.

But Joetunheim and Muspelheim and Hel waited tremblingly; it might be
that Fenrir the Wolf might not burst the bonds wherewith the Gods had
bound him. Without his being loosed the Gods might not be destroyed. And
then was heard the rending of the rock as Fenrir broke loose. For the
second time the Hound Garm barked in Gnipa's Cave.

Then was heard the galloping of the horses of the riders of Muspelheim;
then was heard the laughter of Loki; then was heard the blowing of
Heimdall's horn; then was heard the opening of Valhalla's five hundred
and forty doors, as eight hundred Champions made ready to pass through
each door.

Odin took council with Mimir's head. Up from the waters of the Well of
Wisdom he drew it, and by the power of the runes he knew he made the
head speak to him. Where best might the AEsir and the Vanir and the
Einherjar, who were the Champions of Midgard, meet, and how best might
they strive with the forces of Muspelheim and Joetunheim and Hel? The
head of Mimir counseled Odin to meet them on Vigard Plain and to wage
there such war that the powers of evil would be destroyed forever, even
though his own world should be destroyed with them.

The riders of Muspelheim reached Bifroest, the Rainbow Bridge. Now would
they storm the City of the Gods and fill it with flame. But Bifroest
broke under the weight of the riders of Muspelheim, and they came not to
the City of the Gods.

Joermungand, the serpent that encircles the world, reared itself up from
the sea. The waters flooded the lands, and the remnant of the world's
inhabitants was swept away. That mighty flood floated Naglfar, the Ship
of Nails that the Giants were so long building, and floated the ship of
Hel also. With Hrymer the Giant steering it, Naglfar sailed against the
Gods, with all the powers of Joetunheim aboard. And Loki steered the ship
of Hel with the Wolf Fenrir upon it for the place of the last battle.

Since B