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THE NORNIR AND VALKYRIAS. CHAPTER XXIV from "The Viking Age," by Paul B. Du Chaillu, vol. 1, p. 385-393 The shapino, of man's future at his birth -- The three
Nornir -- Their dwellingplace -- Their kin -- Good and Evil Nornir -- They water the ash Yggdrasil - The maids of Odin -- They determine the
issue of battle -- Choose the warriors for Yallialla -- Figurative names -- The ride through the
air -Their appearance -- The help warriors in battle -- Their sojourn
among men -- The first and second songs of Helgi. IT was
believed by the Northmen that the future life of
all men was shaped at their birth by genii called Nornir, who preordained the fates of men
and all that happened in the world. The gods themselves seem to have been
under their control. There
were three Nornir, called Urd, the past; Verdandi, the present; and Skuld, the future, they dwelt by Urd's well, situated at the foot of the ash Yggdrasil, whose roots they watered with their wisdom
and the experience of the past: 1 they spun the threads of fate
at the birth of every child, and measured the boundaries of his doings,
and the days of his life. 2
The
names of these three Nornir were to those men of
old the embodiment and philosophy of life. They could not have existed
without their fathers before them, hence Urd was
the symbol of the great past. Verdandi, the present, symbolised the present life itself, consequently was
closely connected with Urd. Skuld, the future, represented the growth, the
shooting forward, and was an inseparable part of the triad.
"There stands a fine hall
under the ash, near the well, and from that hall come three maidens, who
are named Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld. These
forecast the lives of men, and are called Nornir. In Vafthúdnismal, Odin asks Vafthrúdnir -- Much have I travelled, Who are the maidens In Voluspa, Heid the sybil, in her vision --
Thence come three maidens,
3 The Asar met, They played chess on the
grass-plot; "But
there are other Nornir who come to every one
that is born, to shape his life. Some are of the kindred of the gods,
others of Alfar kin, and some of Dvergar kin" (Gylfaginning,
c. 15). Vafthrúdnir. Three great rivers Of the maidens of Mögthrasir. In time
the number of Nornir seems to have increased.
In Fafnismál, Sigurd asks the
following question of Fafnir: --
Sigurd. Tell me, Fafnir, Fafnir Very different born ( Fafnismál.) Atli says to his wife, Gudrún: -- The Nornir have just Gudrún. It forebodes fire (Gudrúnarkvida, 11.) " Gangleri said: 'If the Nornir rule the fates of men, they deal them out very
unevenly, for some have a happy and rich life, while others have little
property or praise -- some a long life, some a short one.' Hár replied: 'Good Nornir,
and of good kindred, forecast a happy life; but when men have evil fates,
the evil Nornir cause it' "
(Gylfaginning, c. 15).
The
water with which the Nornir watered the ash
Yggdrasil was considered holy.
"Further it is told that the
Nornir who live at Urd's well take water out of it every day, and also
the clay which lies round it, and pour it over the ash-tree that the
branches may not dry up or grow rotten. This water is so holy that
everything which comes into the well grows white like the film called
skjall which lies next to the eggshell.
The dew which falls thence on the earth is called honey-dew, and the bees
feed on it. Two birds live in Urd's well, called
swans, and from them has sprung the kin of birds with this name" (Gylfaginning, c. 16). The
Valkyrias were the maids of Odin, and were sent
by him to determine the issue of battle, and choose those who were to fall
and dwell with him in Heid in Voluspa gives the names of the Valkyrias and in her version we learn that
She saw Valkyrias Gunn, Hild, Göndul, So we
see that originally the number of Valkyrias
belonging to Odin was only six, afterwards their number increased.
Sometimes they appear nine together, at others treble that number.
Others
are mentioned in Grimnismal. Odin, speaking to
Geirrod, says -- I want Hrist and Mist Göll and Geirahöd, " Hjörvard and Sigrlin had a large and handsome son. He was silent,
and no name had been fastened to him. 10 He sat on a mound, and saw
nine Valkyrjas riding, and one of them seemed
the foremost -- she sang: -- Late wilt thou, Helgi, On the Rodulsvellir, 12 "The daughter of King Eylimi was Svava; she was a
Valkyrja and rode over air and sea; she gave
this name to Helgi, and often afterwards
sheltered him in battles" (Helga Kvida Hjörvardssonar). The
following among other poetical and figurative names are given to the Valkyrias: -- The maidens of victory, the goddesses of
the fight, the graspers of spears, the witches of the shield, the maidens
of the slain, the exultant ones, the strong one, the entangling one, the
silent one, the stormraisers. They are mentioned
as riding through the air, over the sea, and amid the lightning,
helmet-clad, with bloody brynjas, and glittering
spears; the spear which carried death and victory being the emblem of
Odin. When their horses shake their manes, the froth
which comes from their bitted months drops as dew into the valleys, and
hail falls from their nostrils into the woods.
The
slain were called Val (chosen), and belonged to Odin. From the word
Val are derived the names of Valkyrias,
Valfödr (the father of the slain),
Skuld, the youngest of the three
Nornir, who personified the future, followed the
Valkyrias, probably in order to witness the
decrees of fate given to men at their birth. "There are others that have
to serve in Valhöll, carry drink and take care
of the table-dressing and the beer cups. These are called Valkyrias; Odin sends them to every battle; they
choose death for men and rule victory. Gunn and Róta and the youngest Norn, Skuld, always ride to choose the slain and rule
man-slayings" (Gylfaginning, ch. 36). It was
believed that during a battle warriors sometimes saw Yalkyrias coming to their help: how grand and
beautiful must have been the vision created in their mind by their faith
in them, as they thought they saw them riding on their fiery steeds, and
sweeping over the battle-field, by land or by sea. It is hard to realise a grander picture for a warrior to behold.
Helgi saw: --
Three times nine maidens,
But one rode foremost A white maiden under
helmet; Their horses trembled, From their manes fell
Dew into the deep dales, Hail
on the lofty woods; Thence come good seasons
among men, All that I saw was loathsome to me. [Helga Kvida Hjörvardssonar.]
Sometimes the Valkyrias came to earth and remained among men.
" Nidud was a king in
Helga
Kvida gives an account of how Sigrun, a Valkyria,
betrothed herself to Helgi, and of how she comes
with other Valkyrias to protect him. Their
appearance is thus described: -- Then gleams flashed From
Logafjöll, 13 Early (in the day)
asked The southern disir 15 But from the horse In the
second song of this poem we learn the mode of thought, the religious ideas
and customs of the people of the North, and glean some new facts; that men
and women were sometimes thought to be born again; that Helgi derived his name from Helgi Hjörvardson, and that
he was brought up by Hagal. His foes, and not
the sons of Hunding, search for him, but he
escapes by dressing himself in the garb of a bondwoman. This episode of
his life and the following fights must have taken place after those of the
first song. The connection between the two poems is somewhat obscure.
" Granmar was a powerful king who
lived, at Svarinshaug; he had many sons, among
them Hödbrod, Gudmund,
and Starkad. Hödbrod
was at an appointed meeting 17 of kings; he
betrothed Sigrun sought She kissed and greeted She said she loved I was to Höjdbrod Yet I fear, chief, The maiden of Högni Helgi. Do not care for " Helgi then gathered a large fleet,
and sailed to Frekastein " Gudmund rode home with news of war;
then the sons of Sigrun of Sevafjöll 22 Gone is the life She met
Helgi, who answered: -- All is not given to thee, This morning fell " Helgi married Sigrun, and they had sons; but Helgi did not live long. Högni's son Dag sacrificed to Odin for revenge on his
father, and Odin lent him his spear. Dag met his brotherin-law Helgi at Fjoturlund; he thrust the spear through him, Helgi fell, and Dag rode to Sevafjoll an told Sigrun the tidings: -- Loth am I, sister, And stood on Sigrun. Thee shall all The sword shall not
bite And hadst not food Dag. Mad art thou, sister, Thy brother offers
thee " Sigrun was short-lived from grief
and sorrow. It was the belief in olden times that men were reborn, but now
it is called an old woman's story. It is said that Helgi and Sigrun were born
again; he was then named Helgi Haddingjaskati, and she. Kara, 32 Hálfdán's daughter, 'as is sung in the
lay of Kara, 33 and she was a Valkyria.' " [ Helgi Hundingsbani II.]
Notes
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