Approaching the great World Tree of the Nine Nordic Realms, Yggdrasil, you can see three women weaving threads of fate and pouring well water onto the roots of the very same tree to prevent its rot. You stop to wonder who they are and what they are doing. A whisper for an answer you barely catch enters your mind: What once was, what is, and what shall come to pass…
These are the representations of the most notable Nornir: Urðr (Urd) of the past, Verðandi (Verdandi) of the present, and Skuld (Skuld) of the future. Residing in a hall near the “Well of Fate”, beneath Yggdrasil, the three women can be found spinning the threads of life for all living beings, Deity and Humankind alike, and maintaining the tree. The Norns are akin to The Fates in other European Myths.
Less notable Norns are oft responsible for minor blessings or disasters. At the birth of a child, the Nornir will appear to determine his/her future. Due to being responsible for all life, the Norns are often seen as both malevolent and benevolent. Whenever tragedy occurs throughout the world, the former are nearby. When a mother gives birth, the latter are there, protecting and bestowing the mother and the newborn child with their blessings.
There seems to be some minor contradictions on the etymology of the Norns between the Skaldic Prose, Prose Edda, and Poetic Edda, and earlier interpretations from scholarly sources. In one such opinion, the Norns are Jotuns or giantesses from Jötunheimr. The Prose and Poetic Eddas are considered the most important findings regarding the Norns, as most of the cited information seems to come from those sources. In both Eddas, it is agreed that the three main Norns are maiden Jotuns and the lesser Norns (those overseeing childbirth and lower details) take on the forms of Æsir, half-elves, dwarves —depending on their parentage. A portion of the Skaldic Prose, Prose Edda, and Poetic Edda are all included in the Nornir Wikipedia article with translations available.
*Personally, my favorite sources for information on the Nornir or Norse mythology in general, tend to be the direct texts themselves. There are a few books on Amazon for fairly cheap ($5 or less) and some great websites from Pagan Practitioners who focus on Nordic Mythology in their practice. I have included the titles and links below.
