Yggdrasill (English spelling)

Japanese: イグドラシル（英語表記）Yggdrasill

The World Tree is a giant cypress tree that appears in Norse mythology. It is a giant cypress tree that towers over the entire universe, carrying Asgard, the world of the gods. It is said that the fate of the entire world depends on this tree. It has three thick roots, one of which reaches the realm of the gods, one to Jotunheim, the land of giants, and one to Niflheim, the land of the dead. Each of the three roots is nourished by a different spring, and one of these, the spring of Urðr, is protected by a goddess named Norn, who pours water from that spring into Yggdrasil every day. It is said that this is to prevent the poisonous dragon Níðheggr, who gnaws at the tree's roots every day, from withering the World Tree and destroying the world of the gods and humans. The gods also hold a meeting by this spring every day. At the top of the tree is a golden cock, on the highest branch, Leladz, an eagle, with a hawk perched between his eyes, and the squirrel Ratatosk roams up and down the tree, causing discord between him and Níðheg.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

北欧神話に出てくる世界樹。巨大なとねりこの木で，神々の世界アスガルズを載せ全宇宙を貫いてそびえている。全世界の運命がこの木にかかっているという。3本の太い根をもち，1本は神界に，1本は巨人の国ヨツンヘイムに，もう1本は死人の国ニフルヘイムに伸びている。3本の根はおのおの異なった泉により養われ，そのうちの一つウルズの泉はノルンという女神に守られその泉の水をイグドラシルに毎日注ぐ。ニズヘグという毒竜が木の根を毎日かじっているので，世界樹が枯れて神々と人間の世界が滅びるのを防ぐためだという。また，神々は毎日この泉のほとりで会合を開く。木の頂上には金鶏，最も高い枝レラズの上には1羽のわしがおり，わしの目の間には1羽のたかが止まり，りすのラタトスクがこの木を上下してわしとニズヘグとの間に不和を起しているという。

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