According to Fjölsvinnsmál

Fjölsvinnsmál

Fjölsvinnsmál or The Sayings of Fjölsvinnr is the second of two Old Norse poems commonly published under the title Svipdagsmál "The Lay of Svipdagr". These poems are found together in several 17th century paper manuscripts with Fjölsvinnsmál...

, Víðópnir or Víðófnir is a rooster that sits at the top of Mímameiðr

Mímameiðr

In Norse mythology, Mímameiðr is a tree whose branches stretch over every land, is unharmed by fire or metal, bears fruit that assists pregnant women, and upon whose highest bough roosts the cock Víðópnir. Mímameiðr is solely attested in the Old Norse poem Fjölsvinnsmál...

, a tree often taken to be identical with the World Tree Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil

In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is an immense tree that is central in Norse cosmology. It was said to be the world tree around which the nine worlds existed...

. They appear in Norse Mythology

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

, although the name does not otherwise occur in medieval sources.

The tale is a part of Fjölswidlied Svipdagsmál and comes from a manuscript in the late pagan period. It is estimated to be from the 13th Century and is interpreted as pure poetry in the style of the Edda songs.

Definitions

The cock is golden in colour and shines like a thunderstorm. As a virtually immortal guard, he watches over the integrity of this world. He is generally a symbol of sun and fire. His crowing at dawn stands for vigilance and for the victory of light over darkness. Thus he is a symbol of a returning life, and is considered among the Germans as a spiritual guide.

Karl Joseph Simrock

Karl Joseph Simrock

Karl Joseph Simrock , was a German poet and writer. He is primarily known for his translation of the Nibelungenlied into modern German.- Life :He was born in Bonn, where his father was a music publisher...

suggested the name Widofnir in the sense of Windofnir (Weaver of the wind), being Windofnir the name of the skies of Vanir, regarded as the Norse deity of fertility.