What role did the cow Audhumla play in the Norse creation story?

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Germanic religion and mythology Battle scenes and ships depicted on a memorial stone from Gotland, Sweden, late 8th century. In the third panel from the top, a warrior is being hanged in a tree as a sacrifice to Odin, whose cult is represented by an eagle and a twisted knot.

In Norse mythology, the primeval cow Audhumla played a vital role in the sustenance and emergence of the first beings. Formed from drops of melting rime, she provided nourishment to the first giant, Aurgelmir (also known as Ymir), by producing four rivers of milk from her udders.12

Audhumla herself was sustained by licking salty, rime-covered stones. Through this process, she gradually licked the stones into the shape of a man named Buri. Buri subsequently became the grandfather of Odin and his brothers, who would later go on to slay Aurgelmir and fashion the world from his remains.12