The Fimbul Winter

A valid objection to the theory that Ragnarok is the story of the Toba Catastrophy as observed by humans some 75000 years ago, is that stories that old would either have been lost completely, or become so grossly transformed over time that it would be unrecognizable.

However, there are several features of the Ragnarok story that would make it survive relatively unchanged over time. For one, it contains some very vivid imagery. The demons are truly fantastic. Secondly, the entire story is short. It's only a few stanzas in a poem. Anyone can remember the poem, or at least its main features and details.

But most importantly, Ragnarok is an event that has had many minor repetitions through time. Every now and again, we are all reminded of Ragnarok through prolonged cold periods, always accompanied with an uptick in seismic activity.

The Fimbul Winter is a recurring prelude to major volcanic eruptions. With a separation of no more than a few hundred years, we get some unusually cold years. During such years, wars and strife increase. Earthquakes and tsunamis follow, with spectacular volcanic eruptions to top it off.

It is the same pattern over and over again. With such regular repetition, it is not impossible for a story to survive for many thousand years. Furthermore, the story's predictive power makes it a useful tool in planning for the long term. The onset of cold weather is a sign that war and evil is on the rise, and periods of plenty do not last for ever. This is valuable information to keep in mind.

When the Fimbul Winter arrives, we should all take heed and prepare, because it is the prelude to war and trouble.

By Victorgrigas at English Wikipedia - I (t3xt (talk)) created this work entirely by myself., CC0, Link