Valkyries

thumb|The picture stone Lilbjärs III, showing a helmeted woman receiving a man with a horn of mead. On picture stones, the recurring motif of a woman receiving a man with a horn is generally interpreted as a dead man being received by a valkyrie at Valhalla. thumb|The Valkyrie from Hårby|The "valkyrie from Hårby", silver-gilt figurine depicting a female figure with a sword and shield, often interpreted to be a valkyrie. In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ( or ; from ) is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become

thumb|"Brunnhild" (1897) by Gaston Bussière

right|thumb|250px|Alvíss and Þrúðr, illustration by Lorenz Frølich ' (Old Norse: "strength"), sometimes anglicized as Thrud', is a daughter of the god Thor and the goddess Sif in Norse mythology. Þrúðr is also the name of one of the valkyries who serve ale to the einherjar in Valhalla (Grímnismál, stanza 36). The two may or may not be the same figure.

musical composition by Richard Wagner

[[Image:Faroe stamp 431 The Norns and the Tree.jpg|thumb|220px|...and the youngest Norn, she who is called Skuld, ride[s] ever to take the slain and decide fights. Faroe stamp by Anker Eli Petersen depicting the norns (2003)]] Skuld ("debt" or "obligation"; sharing etymology with the English "should") is a Norn in Norse mythology. Along with Urðr (Old Norse "fate") and Verðandi (possibly "happening" or "present"), Skuld makes up a trio of Norns that are described as deciding the fates of people. Skuld appears in at least two poems as a Valkyrie.

thumb|300px|Menglöð sits with the nine maidens, including Eir, on [[Lyfjaberg (1893) by Lorenz Frølich.]] In Norse mythology, Eir (Old Norse: , "protection, help, mercy") is a goddess or valkyrie associated with medical skill. Eir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and in skaldic poetry, including a runic inscription from Bergen, Norway from around 1300. Scholars have theorized about whether these three sources refer to the same figure, and debate whether Eir may have be

album by Cradle of Filth

thumb|A depiction of Sigrún with Helgi Hundingsbane (1919) by Robert Engels. right|thumb|Sigrun waiting by Helgi's barrow Sigrún (Old Norse "victory rune") is a valkyrie in Norse mythology. Her story is related in Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, in the Poetic Edda. The original editor annotated that she was Sváfa reborn.

right|thumb|A detail from the Stora Hammars stones|Stora Hammars I stone, a [[picture stone on Gotland.]] right|thumb|A detail from the Smiss (I) stone, an image stone on [[Gotland.]]

right|200px|thumb|Brünnhilde wakes and greets the day and Siegfried, illustration of the scene of Wagner's Ring|Wagner's Ring inspired by the , by [[Arthur Rackham (1911).]] thumb|right|Sigrdrífa gives Sigurðr a horn to drink from. Illustration by Jenny Nyström (1893). 200px|right|thumb|Sigrdrífa giving Sigurd a drinking horn. Illustration on the Drävle Runestone. '''' (also known as ) is the conventional title given to a section of the Poetic Edda'' text in .

Malgven, or Malgwen(n), is a character introduced into the legend of the city of Ys, a mythical city on the coast of Brittany, at the end of the 19th century by Édouard Schuré, and is possibly based on a local legend from the Cap Sizun. She was made known by Charles Guyot (Géo-Charles) at the beginning of the 20th century, in his literary adaptation of the legend of Ys. As a valkyrie and queen of the "North", Malgven reigns over the land with her ageing husband, King Harold. She meets King Gradlon while he is raiding and falls in love with him. She persuades him to kill her husband and to flee

thumb|"Walkyrien" (1905) by Emil Doepler. In Norse mythology, Göndul (Old Norse: Gǫndul, "wand-wielder") is a valkyrie. Göndul is attested in Heimskringla, Sörla þáttr, and a 14th-century Norwegian charm. In addition, Göndul appears within the valkyrie list in the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá, in both of the two Nafnaþulur lists found in the Prose Edda, and among the valkyries listed in Darraðarljóð.

thumb|The valkyries Hildr, [[Þrúðr and Hlökk bearing ale in Valhalla (1895) by Lorenz Frølich.]]

right|thumb|Helgi, Sváfa and Heðinn. An illustration from Fredrik Sander's 1893 Swedish edition of the Poetic Edda

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Alruna (Old Norse Ǫlrún, Old High German Ailrun, Modern German Alruna, Alraune) is a Germanic female personal name, from Proto Germanic *aliruna (or possibly *agilruna), which is formed from runa "secret, rune" and a debated prefix that may be ali-, agil-, or alu-.

valkyrie

In Norse mythology, Róta is a valkyrie. Róta is attested in chapter 36 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, where she is mentioned alongside the valkyries Gunnr and Skuld, and the three are described as "always [riding] to choose who shall be slain and to govern the killings." Otherwise, Róta appears in two kennings, one by Egill Skallagrímsson and one by Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld. Theories have been proposed about the possible appearance of Róta in and the meaning of her name.