Audumbla

Audumbla is a primordial cosmic cow attested only in the Prose Edda, but likely represents a very old bit of folklore. In Norse mythology, she was formed out of the ice that dripped from the rim of ginnungagap, along with Ymir, the ancestor of all giants. Four rivers of milk flowed from Audumbla’s utters, which Ymir drank until he fell asleep. While he slept, Audumbla licked a salty ice-block that had formed from the dripping rim, and over the course of three days she licked out Buri, the grandfather of Odin, Vili, and Vi (sometimes known as Odin, Hoenir, and Lodur). The three gods then killed Ymir to create the world.