According to the odinistic beliefs, the worlds are lying among the branches of the world ash Yggdrasill. This tree has three roots, each of them feeding on different well. One of them extends to Asgard, where the holy well of Urd lies. By that well, there is a hall where the three Norns are making a web of Wyrd, and that means a destiny pattern that cannot be changed, but within which the actions of individuals or collectives influence the future in a manner that is changeable and not previously known. The names of the three sisters are Urd (Past), Verdandi (Present) and Skuld (Future). They hold the secrets of Cosmos, and they are creating the paths that are just to come. One other important task for them is to sprinkle the holy water of the Urd's well over the leaves of the Ash. Two fowls, named Swans are fed in this well, and from them derives the race of birds with the same name.
The second root of Yggdrasil ends in the place of former Ginnunga Gap, where the Mimir's well stands. Giant Mimir watches over wisdom and understanding that are kept in this well, and he drinks from it, too, from a horn. The only living creature besides him that had a draught of this water was the Allfather Odin, but in pledge, he gave his eye.
Finally, the third root of the Ash is in the cold Niflheim, where the well of Hvergelmir is. The serpent Nidhogg, surrounded by innumerable smaller serpents, gnaws that root from beneath.
In the limbs of the Tree, there sits an eagle with the hawk Vedrfolnir between his eyes, and there is squirrel called Ratatosk that runs up and down the Ash bearing envious words between the eagle and the serpent Nidhogg.
Between the branches, four harts by the names of Dainn, Dvalinn, Duneyr and Durathror are biting the leaves.
There are nine worlds in the limbs of the Tree: two primal worlds - Niflheim, the realm of ice, and Muspell, or Muspellheim, the land of fire. The land of the mankind is Midgard. The Giants live in Jotunheim, the Dark Elves, or Dwarves live in Svartalfheim, and the Light Elves in Ljossalfheim. There are two families of Gods - the Vanir and the Aesir. The first ones inhabit Vanaheim, and the second - Asgard. The way to Asgard is over the three-colored flaming Bifrost-bridge, guarded by Heimdall.
The world where the souls of the people that died of natural death, or of old age, go, is called after its mistress - Hel. The bridge that leads to its gate is Gjol-bridge, named after the sad river Gjol. The souls of the brave warriors slayed in battles are directed to Valhall, one of Odin's halls, and there they train each day for the final battle of Ragnarok.
Valhalla (The Hall of the Slain) is extremely big - it has 540 doors, each of them so large, that 800 warriors can pass through them at the same time. It is entirely made of shiny shields and spears. Each night a feast goes on - all the warriors that are honorably killed in battles, eat the flesh of a boar Saehrimnir cooked in a kettle Eldhrimnir by the cook Andhrimnir. The boar comes to life each day, and gets cooked again each night. Odin always gives away his food to his two wolves. His two ravens sit on his shoulders telling him what they had seen or heard during the day. A goat named Heidrun bites the needles of the tree Laerad, and then produces the mead in her udder. The drinks are served to the champions by the Valkyrs which had chosen them for the service of the Valfather. During the day, they all train hardly for the final battle, and those who die in the fields, come to life again in the evening. They shall all be at their greatest strength when the horn announces Ragnarok.