The language and customs of the Aesir spread across the North. Over time, people came to believe they were gods, and from these historical memories the Norse myths grew.
Ásarnir settu mál sitt ok siðu um alla Norðurlönd. Þeir voru svá göfgir ok vísir at menn tóku at trúa at þeir væri guðir. Svá varð þat at goðsagnirnar spruttu upp af sögu þessara manna, ok þetta er upphaf þeirrar trúar sem Gylfaginning fjallar um.
The Aesir spread their language and customs across all the northern lands. They were so honoured and wise that people came to believe they were gods. So it came about that the myths sprang from the history of these men, and this is the origin of the belief that Gylfaginning treats.