As you know, my name is Valkyrie. Well, Valkyrie has some very special stories to it.
My mommy and Aunt Beth chose my name even before I was born :o)
You see, Mommy and daddy were planning on having another baby, and Mommy asked Aunt Beth to be my Godmother even before she got pregnant with me. Aunt Beth was very happy, and asked mommy if she had chosen any names. Mommy had chosen Valerie Elizabeth, but Aunt Beth had a better idea. She suggested Valkyrie Elizabeth, and mommy thought that was really neat. But that isn't the strange part. Mommy and Aunt Beth chose my name on July 10, 1991, and Aunt Beth died two days later :o(
I was born exactly one year to the day that mommy and Aunt Beth chose my name. Kewl huh? I wish that I could have gotten to meet my Aunt Beth, but I know that I ahve a very important part of her with me always.
Now, if you would like to read about the origin of my name, here it is. Its really pretty cool!
Source: "Viking Mythology" by John Grant
Valkyries or: "Choosers of the Slain".
The Valkyrie were called so because it was
believed that Valkyries had the power to "choose" who
would die and who would not in battles, taking the souls
of only the best warriors, for reasons explained below.
In the Viking culture it was an honor to die in battle, and those who fought well were "chosen" by the Valkyries to fight in the Armageddon equivalent which they called "Ragnarok"; the Valkyries were thought to come and carry off the souls of dead warriors, taking them to the great Hall of the Slain, otherwise known as Valhalla. Before a warrior's death on the battlefield, it was believed that he would see a Valkyrie coming for him on horseback from the sky, remaining invisible to all others but him...
Odin's army, which consisted of only those warriors that died in battle, were called the "Einheriar", and the Viking people thought that they enjoyed a wonderful afterlife at Valhalla. So much so that Viking warriors who were not killed in battle during their fighting years often threw themselves upon their own spears in order to meet the criteria to enter Valhalla and reserve their place in the Einheriar).
More about the Valkyrie
Depending the beliefs, the number of Valkyries varies from three to sixteen, but there were only nine that had been named. They were divinities of the air; they were also known as wish maidens, or Norns. They were also Odin's special attendants, and were either Odins daughters or offsprings from mortal kings. Any maidens who became a valkyrie would remain immortal and invulnerable as long as they obeyed the gods and remained a virgin. The Valkyrie were considered to be young and beautiful with white arms and long flowing golden hair. They wore gold or silver helmets, with a blood red corselet, carrying spears and shields that glittered.
The Valkyrie had different jobs that they had to perform. The first and most famous, was to ride to the battlefield and choose the fallen heroes of the battlefield. White winged horses carried the Valkyries over the Bifrost and onto the battlefield, where the Valkyries would deliver the kiss of death to half the dying warriors, and then transport them to Valhalla.
Second mission was to search the oceans and sea looking for fallen warriors and sinking Dragonships. Some Legends laid myth to the sea-singers, where the Valkyries would sing songs of warnings, of upcoming to events and death.
Their third job was to shred their armor and weapons, and to wear the white robes of the virgins at Valhalla. At Valhalla they would pour the heavenly mead for the Einheriar (fallen heros) to drink, and personally wait on Odin.
Often the Valkyries would make personals trips to earth. When they come to Earth, they appeared as Swans and searched for a stream to bathe in. If any mortal can secure the swan plumage, he can prevent the valkyrs from leaving Earth, and at the same time, wish her as a mate if he should desire to do so.
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