The world tree is the basis of all worlds

Each ancient people had their own legends describing the structure of the world. Many of them are radically different, but the outlooks of neighboring cultures tend to be similar in many respects. Especially strongly coincide with the legends of the Slavic and Scandinavian peoples. And for those, and for others, the axis, which supports all existing worlds, is the World Tree.

Slavic pagans believed that the world is like an egg. According to the legends of Of peoples, an egg is carried by a certain "cosmic" bird, and in legends of the Slavs Zhiva, the Great Mother, who gave birth to the earth and the sky, is mentioned. The earth in this giant egg takes the place of the yolk, on the upper half of which is the world of people, and on the lower half - the Night Country or the World of the Dead. The Earth is surrounded by "squirrels" - Ocean-sea. The shell of the "world egg" consists of nine layers corresponding to the Nine Heavens. Each sky has its own purpose. One around the Earth "walk" the Sun and the stars, on the other a month, the next heaven is reserved for winds and clouds. The seventh celestial layer was considered by the Slavs as the firm bottom of the Ocean, an inexhaustible source of living and rainwater.

The World Tree of Slavs binds all parts of the "egg". It reminds the Tree of a huge oak tree whose roots go to the World of the Dead, and the crown reaches the Seventh Heaven. The ancestors believed that the Oak can climb to heaven. The echoes of these beliefs have reached us in the form of fairy tales. On the branches of the Tree in Seeds and fruits of all plants of the Earth are ripening. Where the World Tree touches the Seventh Heaven, there is the island of Irei or Buyan, on which the ancestors of all terrestrial birds and animals dwell. But even Oak did not reach the Eighth and Ninth Heaven. These last heavens remained a mystery to the ancient Slavs.

In Old Norse legends the world is arranged a little differently. The Scandinavian World Tree - Yggdrasil - was an ash tree. This Great Ash, who grew up in the center of the universe, had three roots. One descended directly into the underworld of Hel, the second reached the realm of the wise, frostless giants Jotunheim, and the third root sprouted into Midgard, the world of people. This world order seems somewhat strange, as the World Ash of the Scandinavian myths grows downwards. This is how the ancient Scandinavian peoples used logs, supporting them with the walls and ceilings of their homes. They cared for Yasen sister of Nero, the goddess of the present past and future. Every day the Norns watered the World Tree Th water of the Urd source, beating at the roots of the Tree. Crown of Ash gave shelter to a wise eagle endowed with the gift of omniscience. The trunk of the Tree united all the worlds described in Scandinavian mythology, and its crown reaches Valhalla, Odin's palace. Ash Scandinavians united not only the worlds. He connected the times together.

The world tree is featured not only in the legends of the northern nationalities. There is also this image in Chinese legends. The seven roots of Kishi-Mutozhe, the Chinese Tree of Life, feed from seven sources hidden in the earth's interior. Its seven branches touch the seven heavens on which the gods live. The Chinese tree not only connects heaven and earth, but also serves as a staircase along which the Sun and Moon "walk" up and down, as well as heroes and sages - mediators between the world of people and the heavens.