Reading Fluency Passage: Norse Creation Myth

Once upon a time, there was nothing but a void of emptiness and darkness. Then, from the north, came the frost and ice, and from the south, came the fire and heat. The two elements clashed and merged, creating the first giant named Ymir. (33 words)

Ymir was a massive and malevolent creature who had no equal in strength or size. He fed himself by drinking the milk from the cosmic cow named Audhumla, who licked the salty ice blocks and uncovered the god Buri. Buri had a son named Bor, who had three sons named Odin, Vili, and Ve. (47 words)

Odin, Vili, and Ve were the gods who had the power and wisdom to overthrow Ymir and create the world. They attacked him from all sides and caused him to bleed so much that his blood flooded the land and drowned all the giants, except for two named Bergelmir and his wife. They survived by climbing onto a giantess's boat and sailed to safety. (73 words)

The three gods then used Ymir's body to create the world. They used his flesh to make the earth, his bones to make the mountains, his blood to make the oceans and rivers, his teeth to make the rocks, and his skull to make the sky. They also used sparks from the south to make the stars and the moon, and they put a dwarf named Modrith in charge of the night and day cycles. (125 words)

Finally, Odin, Vili, and Ve created the first humans, Ask and Embla, from two trees on the seashore. They gave them life and breath, and they gave them the capacity to think and feel. They also gave them free will and the ability to choose their own destiny, but they warned them not to abuse their power or disobey their laws. And so, the world was created, and the gods and humans lived together, sometimes in harmony and sometimes in conflict. (195 words)

Theme: The creation of the world from chaos and the sacrifice of the old order. 

Main idea: Norse mythology explains the creation of the world from the body of a giant named Ymir, who was killed by Odin, Vili, and Ve, and used to make the earth, the mountains, the oceans, and the sky. The story emphasizes the role of violence and sacrifice in the creation of order and the relationship between gods and humans.

In Norse mythology, there was a giant named Ymir who existed before the world was created. Ymir was a primordial being, and he was the first living creature in the universe. He was a creature of chaos and darkness, and he lived in a world of ice and mist.

Total words: 44

One day, three gods, Odin, Vili, and Ve, appeared and killed Ymir. They used his body to create the world. From Ymir's flesh, they made the land, and from his bones, they made the mountains. From his blood, they made the oceans, and from his skull, they made the sky.

Total words: 97

The gods then created the first two humans, Ask and Embla, from two trees. They gave them the gift of life, intelligence, and free will. The gods also created a home for them, called Midgard, which was protected by a giant serpent named Jormungandr.

Total words: 144

Odin, Vili, and Ve also created the gods' home, called Asgard, which was connected to Midgard by a rainbow bridge called Bifrost. They built a palace in Asgard called Valhalla, which was reserved for the bravest warriors who died in battle.

Total words: 192

Thus, the world of Norse mythology was created from the body of a giant, and the gods and humans were created from the same source. The theme of creation from destruction is prominent in this myth, as the world was formed from the remains of a slain giant. The main idea of the story is to explain the origin of the world and the relationship between the gods and humans.