In the beginning, when the nine realms were young and the world tree Yggdrasil stretched its mighty branches across all existence, the gods had shaped Midgard from the body of the giant Ymir. They crafted mountains from his bones, seas from his blood, and the sky from his skull. Yet something was missing from this magnificent creation - there were no humans to walk upon the earth, to tell stories, to worship the gods, or to give meaning to the world they had so carefully constructed.
Chunks MicrolearningAsk and Embla: The First Humans
Ask and Embla became the parents of all people. Their breath was Odin’s, their hearts Vili’s, and their senses Ve’s. Through them, the world was no longer silent—it had stories, laughter, questions, and song.
Summary
In Norse mythology, Ask and Embla are the first two humans. Odin and two other gods find a pair of tree trunks — ash and elm — lying on the seashore, and each god gives them a gift: breath and life, mind and movement, speech and senses. From Ask and Embla descend all of humankind. The story survives in the Poetic Edda's Völuspá and in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, which name Odin's two companions differently.
Enjoy stories like this? See the best history apps in 2026 →
Chapter 1
The World Before Humanity
0:32
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were Ask and Embla in Norse mythology?
Ask and Embla were the first two humans created by the Norse gods according to ancient Scandinavian mythology. They became the ancestors of all humanity in the Norse creation story. The gods Odin, Vili, and Ve discovered them as pieces of wood and transformed them into living beings.
Which Norse gods created the first humans Ask and Embla?
The three Norse gods Odin, Vili, and Ve created Ask and Embla from pieces of wood they found. Odin gave them breath and life, Vili provided their hearts and emotions, and Ve granted them senses including sight and hearing. These three brothers were key figures in Norse creation mythology.
What did the Norse gods give to Ask and Embla when they created them?
Each of the three creator gods gave Ask and Embla specific gifts of life. Odin breathed life and spirit into them, Vili gave them hearts and the capacity for emotion, and Ve granted them their five senses. These divine gifts transformed lifeless wood into the first living humans who could think, feel, and experience the world.
Learn more
To continue the story, download the Chunks Microlearning app
Download on iOSScan to download
Download on AndroidScan to download