"The robust, resilient, and often warlike--the Norse--had two major beliefs rested at the core of this unusual view of the universe. Two major beliefs rested at the core of this unusual view of the universe. The first was that the human-inhabited lands made up a realm-a sort of large continent-located in the great trees center The second core belief that shaped the Norse view of the universe was a powerful magical element, or quality, that pervaded all things"--.