At Urðarbrunnr beneath Yggdrasill sit the three norns Urðr, Verðandi, and Skuld. They shape the fate of every person who is born. There are also other norns of varying origin.
Þar er enn þriðja rót asksins, ok stendr yfir brunni þeim er mjök er heilagr er heitir Urðarbrunnr. Þar eiga goðin dómstað sinn. Þar eru þrjár meyjar þær er svá heita: Urðr, Verðandi, Skuld. Þær skapa mönnum aldr; þær kölluðu vér nornir.
There is the third root of the ash, and it extends to the spring that is very sacred, called Urðarbrunnr. There the gods hold their tribunal. There are three maidens called: Urðr, Verðandi, Skuld. They determine the lifespan of people; we call them norns.
Góðar nornir ok vel ættaðar skapa góðan aldr, en þær menn er verða fyrir ólögum þeir fá illar nornir. Eru nornir þær er sú ætt eru góðar, en aðrar eru af ættar álfa, enn þriðja ætt er af dvergum.
Good norns of noble lineage shape a good fate, but those people who suffer misfortune have received evil norns. Those norns whose lineage is good bring good fortune, while others are of the lineage of elves, and a third group is of the lineage of dwarfs.