Corners

Then spoke Third: ‘They also took his skull and made out of it
the sky and set it up over the earth with four points, and under
each corner they set a dwarf. Their names are Austri, Vestri,
Nordri, Sudri. Then they took molten particles and sparks that
were flying uncontrolled and had shot out of the world of Muspell
and set them in the middle of the firmament of the sky both above
and below to illuminate heaven and earth. They fixed all the
lights, some in the sky, some moved in a wandering course
beneath the sky, but they appointed them positions and ordained
their courses. Thus it is said in ancient sources that by means of
them days were distinguished and also the count of years, as it
says in Voluspa:

The sun did not know where her dwelling was. The moon
did not know what power he had. The stars did not know
where their places were.

That is what it was like above the earth before this took place.’

Then spoke Gangleri: ‘This is important information that I
have just heard. That is an amazingly large construction and
skilfully made. How was the earth arranged?’


- Prose Edda, Gylfaginning