The origin of the Valkyries as a whole is not entirely known but it is believed by many scholars that the original Valkyries were pagan priestesses of Odin who lead and sometimes performed the sacrificial rites in which prisoners were executed (“given to Odin”). Around the 12th or 13th centuries the pagan rituals gave way to legends of battle maidens with supernatural abilities. These maidens, the Valkyrie, took an interest in the conflicts of humans and decided who would live and who would die. In the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda the Valkyrie are described as battle-maidens who ride in the ranks of the gods. They carry out the will of Odin in determining the victors of the battle, and the course of the war. Their primary duty is to choose the bravest of those who have been slain, gathering the souls of dying heroes and great warriors found deserving of afterlife in Valhalla. If you are deemed unworthy by the Valkyrie to reside in the halls of Valhalla the goddess Hel will receive you after death. It is said that if you look at the Aurora Borealis you are watching light flicker off the brilliant armor of the Valkyrie.
The leader of the Valkyries is Brunhild, Freya or Freyja, goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, sometimes identified as the goddess of battle and death. Her father is Njord, a fertility god. Blond, blue-eyed, and beautiful. In many tales Freya travels in a chariot drawn by cats and resides in the celestial realm of Folkvang, where it was her privilege to receive first choice and half of all the warriors slain in battle. The god Odin received the other half at Valhalla. Freyja possessed a magical cloak of falcon feathers that allowed her to take the shape of a falcon if she wished, making the swan maidens similar to the goddess by having "feather coats" or cloaks that enable their shape-shifting abilities and the power of flight. In Germany, Freya was sometimes identified with Frigg, the wife of Odin. Friday originates from Frigga's day.
The name in Old Norse, valkyrja, means literally, "chooser of the slain." The Valkyrie is in the oldest tales of belief, a death goddess and represented by the raven. The Valkyrie is related to the Celtic warrior-goddess, the Morrigan, who likewise may assume the form of the raven. Midway between the third and eleventh centuries, the Valkyries began assuming a more benign aspect. Small amulets and pictures on memorial stones begin to depict the figure of the beautiful woman welcoming the deceased hero with a horn of mead to the afterlife.
Around this period in history the Valkyrie legend blended with the folklore of the swan maiden. If someone could capture and hold a swan maiden they could demand a wish from her. This is why Valkyries were sometimes known as swan or wish maidens. _________________ All poems and stories posted by Eiregirl are
Copyright 2005 - 2008 Aoibhegréine
These literary works are my property under copyright. If you wish to use my work for any purpose please ASK FIRST.
Last edited by Eiregirl on Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:09 pm; edited 2 times in total
Thu Oct 05, 2006 6:04 am
Cavewoman
Joined: 06 Sep 2005
Posts: 2056
Location: nearby
thank you Eire for so clearly sharing that information... i don't have a snowball's chance in hell of remembering all of it... but its good to know for now...
got more?
(its nice to know from whence we came) _________________ " The sorcerers in life are created within each of us" --- Lynn V. Andrews
quote:Originally posted by Cavewoman:
thank you Eire for so clearly sharing that information... i don't have a snowball's chance in hell of remembering all of it... but its good to know for now...
got more?
(its nice to know from whence we came)
Cave,
Thank you very much
Eiregirl _________________ All poems and stories posted by Eiregirl are
Copyright 2005 - 2008 Aoibhegréine
These literary works are my property under copyright. If you wish to use my work for any purpose please ASK FIRST.
quote:Originally posted by pale mirage:
actually quite an enchanting idea...
Pale,
Thank you for that enchanting reply...
ummm may I ask what the enchanting idea is?
Hugs,
Eiregirl _________________ All poems and stories posted by Eiregirl are
Copyright 2005 - 2008 Aoibhegréine
These literary works are my property under copyright. If you wish to use my work for any purpose please ASK FIRST.
Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:12 pm
desert-fish
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 2777
Location: deleted
quote:Originally posted by Eiregirl:
quote:Originally posted by pale mirage:
actually quite an enchanting idea...
Pale,
Thank you for that enchanting reply...
ummm may I ask what the enchanting idea is?
Ah yes…a hero’s welcome…and they will when Ragnarok comes take to the field on the plains of Vigrid to do battle one last time when Heimdall sounds his horn
Thank you very much
Eiregirl _________________ All poems and stories posted by Eiregirl are
Copyright 2005 - 2008 Aoibhegréine
These literary works are my property under copyright. If you wish to use my work for any purpose please ASK FIRST.
Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:26 pm
desert-fish
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 2777
Location: deleted
!
quote:Originally posted by Eiregirl:
Pale,
"the beautiful woman welcoming the deceased hero
that they should receive a hero's welcome..."
Ah yes…a hero’s welcome…and they will when Ragnarok comes take to the field on the plains of Vigrid to do battle one last time when Heimdall sounds his horn
Thank you very much
Eiregirl
you are a veritable mine/mind of infomation
pale is blown over...
Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:44 pm
SensualSilverPearl
Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 43
Location: third rock from the sun
Cool topic Eire..... I have not read about them in a long time so this inspired me to read again. There is so much info here I know I will be reading this again. next time I see the Northern Lights I will have a different view point.
There is some comfort I think in not dieing alone and having a better place to go. Probably not the intent but I get some comfort from that idea. But another thought occurs that to be a hero in battle one has to fight harder, better and not give up. Sometimes that can lead to arrogance and not letting go. But at the end of the day I would like to say that I faced my battles as a hero and not a coward.
Ah yes…a hero’s welcome…and they will when Ragnarok comes take to the field on the plains of Vigrid to do battle one last time when Heimdall sounds his horn
Thank you very much
Eiregirl
you are a veritable mine/mind of infomation
pale is blown over...
Pale,
thank you very much for such a sweet reply
Eiregirl _________________ All poems and stories posted by Eiregirl are
Copyright 2005 - 2008 Aoibhegréine
These literary works are my property under copyright. If you wish to use my work for any purpose please ASK FIRST.
quote:Originally posted by SensualSilverPearl:
Cool topic Eire..... I have not read about them in a long time so this inspired me to read again. There is so much info here I know I will be reading this again. next time I see the Northern Lights I will have a different view point.
There is some comfort I think in not dieing alone and having a better place to go. Probably not the intent but I get some comfort from that idea. But another thought occurs that to be a hero in battle one has to fight harder, better and not give up. Sometimes that can lead to arrogance and not letting go. But at the end of the day I would like to say that I faced my battles as a hero and not a coward.
Also warrior women rock. lol
Sensual,
This is a wonderful reply and everything you said is very true. At the end of the day being able to say that we have faced all that stood in our way is a very good thing to be able to do.
Thank you,
Eiregirl _________________ All poems and stories posted by Eiregirl are
Copyright 2005 - 2008 Aoibhegréine
These literary works are my property under copyright. If you wish to use my work for any purpose please ASK FIRST.
Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:15 am
DarkChyldesKiss Site Admin
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
Posts: 3381
Location: Inner Sanctum
Eire,
Absolutely shiny! I've always been a huge reader of mythology and legends so reading this was like visiting an old friend!
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thank you very much for such a sweet reply
