High describes the two primordial realms that preceded creation: the icy Niflheim in the north with the spring Hvergelmir, and the blazing Muspelheim in the south, guarded by Surt.
Fyrst var þó sá heimr í suðrhálfu er Múspell heitir. Hann er ljóss ok heitr. Sá salr er logandi ok brennandi. Hann er ófær þeim er þar eru útlendir ok eiga þar eigi heimkynni. Surtr heitir sá er þar sitr á löndum at vörðu.
First, however, was that world in the south called Muspell. It is bright and hot. That realm is flaming and burning. It is impassable to those who are strangers there and have no home there. Surt is the name of the one who sits there at the frontier to guard it.
En fyrir norðan fann verðldin þá er Niflheimr heitir. Í þeim heimi er brunn sá er Hvergelmir heitir, ok þaðan af renna þær ár er svá heita: Svöl, Gunnþrá, Fjörm, Fimbulþul, Slíðr ok Hríð, Sylgr ok Ylgr, Víð, Leiptr. Gjöll er næst Helveggjum.
To the north arose the world called Niflheim. In that world is the spring named Hvergelmir, and from it flow the rivers called Svol, Gunnthro, Fjorm, Fimbulthul, Slidr and Hrid, Sylgr and Ylgr, Vid, Leiptr. Gjoll is nearest to the gates of Hel.