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In Norse mythology, Muspelheim (Old Norse: Múspellsheimr), also called Muspell (Old Norse: Múspell), is a realm of fire.

According to Norse myth there is said to be nine realms. The Poetic Edda tells of them:

"Nine worlds: the worlds of the gods (Asgarth), of the Wanes (Vanaheim), of the elves (Alfheim), of men (Mithgarth), of the giants (Jotunheim), of fire (Muspellsheim), of the dark elves (Svartalfaheim), of the dead (Niflheim), and presumably of the dwarfs (perhaps Nithavellir, cf. stanza 37 and note, but the ninth world is uncertain). The tree: the world-ash Yggdrasil, symbolizing the universe."

Muspelheim is described as a hot and glowing land of fire, and home to the fire giants. Muspelheim is featured in both the creation and destruction stories of Norse myth. According to the Prose Edda, A great time before the earth was made, Niflheim existed, inside Niflheim was a well called Hvergelmer, from this well flowed numerous streams known as the Elivog. Their names were Svol, Gunnthro, Form, Finbul, Thul, Slid and Hrid, Sylg and Ylg, Vid, Leipt and Gjoll. After a time these streams had traveled far from their source at Niflehim. So far that the venomous yeast that flowed with them hardened, and turned to ice. When this ice eventually settled, rain rose up from it, and froze into rime. This ice then began to layer itself over the primordial void, Ginungagap. This made the northern portion of Ginungagap thick with ice, and storms begin to form within. However, in the southern region of Ginungagap glowing sparks were flying out of Muspelheim. When the heat and sparks from Muspelheim met the ice, it began to melt.These sparks would go onto create the Sun, Moon, and stars. Then "by the might of him who sent the heat, the drops quickened into life and took the likeness of a man, who got the name Ymer. But the Frost giants call him Aurgelmer"

The Prose Edda section Gylfaginning foretells that the sons of Muspell will break the Bifröst bridge as part of the events of Ragnarök:

"In the midst of this clash and din the heavens are rent in twain, and the sons of Muspell come riding through the opening. Surtr rides first, and before him and after him flames burning fire. He has a very good sword, which shines brighter than the sun. As they ride over Bifrost it breaks to pieces, as has before been stated. The sons of Muspel direct their course to the plain which is called Vigrid.... The sons of Muspel have there effulgent bands alone by themselves."

The etymology of "Muspelheim" is uncertain, but may come from Mund-spilli, "world-destroyers", "wreck of the world".

Fafnir: Name of the dwarf and eventually great dragon slain by Sigurd. As told in the Völsunga saga (“Saga of the Volsungs”). He was the strongest of three brothers. He slew his own father, Hreithmar, to obtain the vast amount of gold which Hreithmar was awarded by Odin as a compensation for the loss of one of his sons. Odin gave the gold but put a curse on it. Full of greed, Fafnir changed into a dragon to guard his treasure and was later slain by the young hero Sigurd. Sigurd was spurred on by another brother of Fafnir, the blacksmith Regin. Once Sigurd, under the advice of Odin, had killed Fafnir, Regin asked him to cook the dragon’s heart for him. Sigurd was advised by Regin on how to slay Fafnir, and after doing so had quite the discussion in which Fafnir warns Sigurd of his brother. After Fafnir finally dies Sigurd cuts out his heart to cook. Sigurd touched the heart as it was cooking to test if it was done and burned his thumb. He put his thumb into his mouth and was then able to understand the language of birds, in Nordic myth knowledge is said to be given to one who eats the heart of a dragon. The birds told Sigurd that Regin intended kill him, so instead Sigurd killed Regin and left with Fafnir’s treasure.

Muspelheim in popular culture: God Of War(2018) One of the realms players can visit. In Muspelheim the player must undergo a series trials against varying enemies. The final challenges is to fight a the Valkyrie, Gondul.

Fafnir in popular culture: God Of War(2018) Used in a string of quests in the game. The player must find and free a number of dragons to gain access to Fafnir's hoard of treasure

In Tolkien
It is clear that much of Tolkien's work was inspired by Northern Myth. Many parallels can be drawn between Fafnir and Smaug as well as between Fafnir and Glaurung, the first dragon in Middle Earth. Who is slain by Turin. The exchange between Bilbo and Smaug nearly mirrors Fafnir's and Sigurd's. The main difference being that Sigurd's conversation occurs after the death blow has been struck. This is most likely due to dramatic effect, as Bilbo has much more at stake when speaking with Smaug. The other dragon Glaurang has many similarities as well. In Tolkies's The Book of Lost Tales, Glaurang is described as a flightless dragon, that hoards gold, breaths poison, and has "Great cunning and wisdom". In the Silamrillion he is slain by Turin in a trench from bellow much like Fafnir. Turin and Glaurnag also have an exchange after the mortal blow is dealt.

Bibliography:

https://is.cuni.cz/studium/predmety/index.php?do=download&did=62028&kod=ARL100252

''Snorri Sturluson, tr. from the Icelandic, with an introduction, by Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur. The Prose Edda. New York :The American-Scandinavian Foundation, 1916. Print.''

translated with an introduction and notes by Carolyne Larrington. (2014). ''The Poetic Edda. Oxford :Oxford University Press,''

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fafnir Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

"Court poetry, vol. II", pg. 472, s.v. "Demon World-Destroyers"

Jesse L Byock "Saga of the Volsungs The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer" Berkeley : University of California Press

"Of modern dragons and other essays on genre fiction", John Lennard,Tirril : Humanities-Ebooks, 2007.

Muspelheim 2018 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Muspelheim, Knowles, E. Oxford University Press, 2005, "The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable"

Tolkien, J.R.R., Christopher, (2010). The Book of Lost Tales. London: Harper Collins

Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel), 1892-1973. The Silmarillion. Boston :Houghton Mifflin, 1977. Print.