Highest and Most Ancient

Gangleri began his questioning thus:

‘Who is the highest and most ancient of all gods?’

High said: ‘He is called All-father in our language, but in Old
Asgard he had twelve names. One is All-father, the second Herran
or Herian, the third Nikar or Hnikar, the fourth Nikuz or
Hnikud, the fifth Fiolnir, the sixth Oski, the seventh Omi, the
eighth Biflidi or Biflindi, the ninth Svidar, the tenth Svidrir, the
eleventh Vidrir, the twelfth lalg or Ialk.’

Then Gangleri asked: ‘Where is this god, what power has he,
and what great works has he performed?’

High said: ‘He lives throughout all ages and rules all his
kingdom and governs all things great and small.’

Then spoke Just-as-high: ‘He made heaven and earth and the
skies and everything in them.’

Then spoke Third: ‘But his greatest work is that he made man
and gave him a soul that shall live and never perish though the
body decay to dust or burn to ashes. And all men who are
righteous shall live and dwell with him himself in the place called
Gimle or Vingolf, but wicked men go to Hel and on to Niflhel;
that is down in the ninth world.’

Then spoke Gangleri: ‘What was he doing before heaven and
earth were made?’

Then High replied: ‘Then he was among the frost-giants.’

Gangleri spoke: ‘What was the beginning? And how did things
start? And what was there before?’


- Prose Edda, Gylfaginning