Ygdrasil

Ygdrasil (or Yggdrasil) was the worldtree (an ash) of norse mythology.
It connected all "Nine Worlds" (Asgard, Alfheim, Vanaheim, Midgard, Jötunheim, Svartalfheim, Niflheim, Muspellheim and Helheim) and formed with them three levels, one root in each of them.

The meaning of "Ygdrasil" is "Yg" = terrible (another name of Odin) and "Drasil" = Steed, "Odin's Steed", or "Terrible Steed". Or maybe the name means "Yew-Column".

"An ash I know, | Yggdrasil its name,
With water white | is the great tree wet;
Thence come the dews | that fall in the dales,
Green by Urth's well | does it ever grow."
(Völuspá)

The first root passed through Asgard near the Urdarbrunnr and the hall of the Norns. The wise women sprankled every day the water of youth on the root. In this way, the tree was always green (till Ragnarok). The gods assembled everyday in a hall near the root (maybe it simbolized something like a primal Althing).

The second root passed through Midgard near the Mimir's Well, named and guarded by the wise creature Mimir.

The third root passed through the lowest regions of the worlds and ended in Niflheim, near the well Hvergelmir, where it was biten by the dragon Nidhogg.

On top of the tree there lived an eagle, which was in constant querreling with Nidhogg. The squirrel Ratatosk ran up and down the trunk and delivers the hatefull messages.

Midgard and Asgard were connected by the rainbow-bridge Bifröst, but Jötunheim and Asgard were divided by the river Ifing.

There were four harts called Dvalin, Dain, Duneyr and Dyrathror, that ate the buds of the ash-tree and a goat called Heidrun, that ate the leaves.

The ash connected nine worlds, their names were:

Another assumption is, that it connected only three worlds:

Asgard (gods)
Midgard (men)
Utgard (monsters and other creatures, like giants and dwarves).

Other names of the ash were Mimameidr ("Mimir's Tree") and Laerath.

Music:
Ygdrasil (The World Tree) by Michel Montecrossa

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