In the mythical beginning of time, after the gods had shaped the world from the body of a giant, three brothers walked along a quiet sea-strand. They were the sons of Borr: Odin, Vili, and Vé. The shoreline was a space between the chaos of the sea and the order of the land, and on it, they found two pieces of driftwood. The logs were lifeless, empty of might and without destiny. They had no breath, no movement, and no spirit. In the silence of the early world, these two pieces of wood simply drifted, inert and without purpose. But the gods saw potential in their forms. They decided to transform this inanimate wood into something that would change the world forever.
Ask and Embla: The First Humans
The Norse myth of the first humans: Odin, Vili and Vé find two pieces of driftwood on a shore and give them breath, mind and senses, making Ask and Embla.
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.
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Chapter 1
The Lifeless Wood
0:49
Part of
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were Ask and Embla in Norse mythology?
Ask and Embla were the first man and woman. According to the Prose Edda, the gods Odin, Vili, and Vé found two logs on a seashore and transformed them into humans by giving them spirit, consciousness, and senses.
What do the names Ask and Embla mean?
The name Ask comes from the Old Norse 'Askr,' which means 'ash tree,' a tree with great significance in Norse mythos. While disputed, Embla is commonly thought to mean 'elm tree.' Together, their names reflect the wood from which they were created.
Does the Norse creation story have an 'original sin'?
No, the story of Ask and Embla does not include a concept equivalent to 'original sin.' Instead of a fall from grace, the myth focuses on the divine gifts bestowed upon humanity, such as breath, consciousness, and senses. It emphasizes a noble, rather than flawed, origin.
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