The Norns – Shapers Of Destiny Who Recorded Days In Person’s Life In Norse Mythology

A. Sutherland –  AncientPages.com – In Old Norse mythology, the Norns were known as ‘Shapers of Destiny’. These goddesses ruled the fates of people, determined the destinies and lifespans of individuals. The Norns were the equivalent of the Greek Moirai (‘the Fates), responsible for destiny and personification of a single, unavoidable fate.

Before these three mysterious female beings arrived, the Aesir gods had a wonderful life. At first, they built Asgard and then, they enjoyed springtime and peaceful days. When the Golden Age ended, the three Norns arrived from Jotunheimr.

The Norns Urðr, Verðandi, and Skuld under the world oak Yggdrasil. Illustration, 1882 by Ludwig Burger via Wikipedia

Three principal and very powerful Norns lived in the mysterious well of Urd (‘fate’), which had its location beneath one of the roots of the giant ash tree – Yggdrasill (World Tree”), which formed a column linking the realms of the gods, mankind, the giants and the dead.

This root was named Urd, while the other roots were Verdandi (‘being’) and Skuld (‘necessity’). The names of these most powerful creatures in Norse mythology were: Urd, which means ‘What once was’, Verdandi, meaning ‘What is coming into being’; and Skuld, meaning ‘What shall be.’

Urd was responsible for the past. She was considered to be benevolent and blessing people and identified with the arriving moon. Verdandi was responsible for the present and identified with the lunar full moon. Verdandi was also considered a benevolent goddess. Skuld, on the other hand, was responsible for the future.

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