The Valkyries: Chooser of the Slain |
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The Valkyries was female warlike virgins, who mounted upon horses and armed themselves with helmets and spears. They decided who would die in a battle. They would hover over the battlefield, like birds over their prey. There would be six, nine, or thirteen Valkyries at a time. They would select among half of those who died in battle. And then bring them to Valhalla. The other half would go to the goddess Freya’s afterlife field Folkvangr. Freya always had the first pick, of the fallen Vikings. Odin allowed some of the maidens to take the form of beautiful white swans, but if a Valkyrie was seen by a human without her swanlike disguise, she would become an ordinary mortal and could never again return to Valhalla. |
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List of Valkyrie names in Norse Mythology
Valkyries |
The meaning of their name |
| Brynhildr, she was also called Brünnhilde or Brynhild. She was a shieldmaiden and Brynhildr was the daugther of Budli. | Bright Battle |
| Eir, she was a goddess and or a Valkyrie, she was associated with medical skill. | Peace, Clemency, Help, or Mercy |
| Geiravör | Spear Vör/Goddess |
| Geirdriful | Spear Finger |
| Geirönul | The one charging forth with the spear |
| Geirskögul, it was two separate or an individual Valkyrie. | Spear Skögul and Skögul: Shaker or High Towering |
| Göll | Tumult, or Noise Battle |
| Göndul | Wand Wielder |
| Gunnr | War or Battle |
| Herfjötur | Host Fetter or Fetter of the Army |
| Herja | Devastate |
| Hlaðguðr svanhvít, she was the sister of the Valkyrie Hervör alvitr. | Swan White |
| Hildr, she had the power to revive the dead on the battlefields, and used it to maintain the everlasting battle between Hedin and Högni. | Battle |
| Hjalmprimul | Helmey Clatterer, or Female Warrior |
| Hervör alvitr, she was the sister of the Valkyrie Hlaðguðr svanhvít. | All Wise, or Strange Creature |
| Hjörprimul | The Sword Warrioress |
| Hlökk | Noise, Battle |
| Hrist | Shake, Quake, The Quaking one |
| Hrund | Pricker |
| Kara | The Wild, or Stormy One |
| Mist | Cloud or Mist |
| Ölrun | Ale Rune |
| Randgrior or Randgrid | Shield Truce, or Shield Destroyer |
| Ráðgríðr | Council Truce, The Bossy |
| Reginleif | Power Trace, or Daughter of the Gods |
| Rota | Sleet and Storm |
| Sanngrior, she has been the mentor of the Norse hero Sigurd. | Very Violent, Very Cruel |
| Sigrun | Victory Rune |
| Skalmöid | Sword Time |
| Skeggöld | Axe Age |
| Skuld | Dept or Future |
| Sveid | Vibration or Noise |
| Svipul | Changeable |
| Tögn | Silence |
| Trima | Fight |
| Thrud, she may or may not have been a Valkyrie, but there was a Valkyrie with the name Thrud. Thrud was the daughter of Thor and Sif. She is the half sister to Magni and Modi. |
Strength or Power |
