Further on the creatures inhabiting Yggdrasill. The tree suffers constantly from Níðhöggr and the serpents gnawing at its roots. The norns water the tree daily from Urðarbrunnr.
Níðhöggr gnýðr at rótum asksins ok margir ormar. Svá segir hér: Fleiri ormar liggja undir askinum Yggdrasils en nokkur fól kann þá. Nornirnar taka vatn í brunni ok með aurinn er liggr um brunninn ok ausast yfir askinn til þess at limar hans skuli eigi fúna ok rotna.
Níðhöggr gnaws at the roots of the ash, as do many serpents. As it says here: more serpents lie beneath the ash Yggdrasill than any foolish creature can count. The norns take water from the well and with the clay that lies around the well pour it over the ash, so that its branches shall not rot and decay.
Eddic quotations
Askr Yggdrasils drýgir erfiði meira en menn viti; hjörtr bítr ofan, en á hliðu fúnar, kníðr Níðhöggr neðan.
The ash Yggdrasill suffers hardships greater than men know; the stag bites from above, on its side it rots, and Níðhöggr gnaws from below.