Cosmic creation myths in Zulu and Norse traditions

¶ … Mythology

The Norse creation myth begins with a world of nothingness, called Ginnungagap. To the north, there was an icy realm that was always dark. Nothing could grow there. To the south was a fiery realm, with rivers of poison. Nothing grew there either. Over a great period of time, the fire began to melt the ice and eventually the first being, Ymir, emerged. A cow also emerged from the ice, and licked the ice from the mountains. Ymir grew strong drinking her milk. He created Buri and his goddess wife, who bore their son; in turn Ymir's son had a son, Odin, who became king of the gods.

Ymir was cruel. The other gods killed him Ymir was cruel and the other gods killed him. Ymir's body became the Earth. From two trees, an ash and an elm, Odin formed the first man and woman, Ash and Embla. He breathed life into them.

Ymir's sisters were angry that their brother was killed, and they sought revenge. They put a powerful spell on the Earth; it was so powerful that even Odin could do nothing about it. They carved deep lines into the so-named Tree of Life. The lines represented the lifetime of man and ensured there would always be pain and suffering among humans.

The Zulu creation myth likewise begins with a realm of darkness. There was one very large seed from which some reeds grew. From one of the reeds, the first being emerged, Unkulunkulu. He was the creator of all. He created the medicine men and their dreams, all the animals, and all the features of the Earth, as well as the sun and the moon. He named everything and he taught the people how to hunt, make clothes, and prepare corn. He sent the language chameleon to a village to spread the word that man would live forever, but the chameleon traveled very slowly. Losing patience, Unkulunkulu then sent a speedy lizard with the message that Death would come. The lizard quickly overtook the chameleon and reached the village first, where it told people about Death.