In the Icelandic Eddas Surtur is the leader of the fire giants in the south, the ruler of Muspel, the realm of fire. He was married to Sinmore. In Snorri Sturluson's Edda (1179-1241): "Surtur is the one so named who stands on Múspell's border, guarding the land. His sword is flaming and as the world ends he will go out, make war against and triumph over the gods. And he will burn the whole world with fire" (Gimlé Gylkaginning, iv). Only Hodmimir's Forest will remain, because that is the only thing his sword can not destroy. He will kill the unarmed god Freyr as well.

The familiar version of this mythological holocaust is the last scene of Richard Wagner's opera 'Götterdämmerung' ('Twilight of the Gods').

Surtsey is a new volcanic island that surfaced off the south coast of Iceland in 1963. Its name in Icelandic means 'Surt's Island.'

In the final battle, Surtur and his Fire-Giants burst forth. :"In Surtur's grasp the Sword of Revenge blazes, adding a blood red colour to the twilight of the whole world."

At the end of the gods and the world, as it is said in Völuspá:

Surtur from the south

wielding fire

The gods' swords shine in the darkness,

like stars in the night

Mountains collapse into rubble

And fiends shall fall

Man walks the road to ruin

as the sky splits in two

Other names

• Surtr, Surt

External links

• Gimlé Gylkaginning text.