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Tuesday, April 26, 2016

V is for Valhalla and Valkyries

My theme for this year's A- Z Blogfest is DEATH (who I hope is like DEATH in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series): "...tall, thin (skeletal, as a matter of fact), and ALWAYS SPEAKS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Generally shows up when you're dead, or just when he thinks you ought to be." Today we have V for Valhalla and Valkyries.

The Ride of the Valkyrs (1909) by John Charles Dollman.
In Norse mythology, Valhalla, is the hall presided over by Odin. This vast hall has five hundred and forty doors. The rafters are spears, the hall is roofed with shields and breast-plates litter the benches. A wolf guards the western door and an eagle hovers over it. It is here that the Valkyries, Odin's messengers and spirits of war, bring half of the heroes that died on the battle fields (the rest go to Freya's hall Folkvang). These heroes, the Einherjar, are prepared in Valhalla for the oncoming battle of Ragnarok, ie, the end of the world as it is.


Excerpt from ? by Terry Pratchett

Death: THERE ARE BETTER THINGS IN THE WORLD THAN ALCOHOL, ALBERT.

Albert: "Oh, yes, sir. But alcohol sort of compensates for not getting them.”




17 comments:

  1. Norse mythology is cool.
    That's a funny excerpt.

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  2. Great quote on alcohol. Valhalla is a grand word unto itself

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  3. I used to love mythology, but for some reason the Norse mythology never stuck with me. Time for a review.

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  4. Hey! The title of the next Thor movie is Thor:Ragnarok. I understand what that means now! Thanks!

    And another excellent excerpt.

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  5. I love the Norse legends and I agree with Albert.
    Susan Says

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  6. I played a Valkyrie in an RPG before. She was a fun character :)

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    The Multicolored Diary
    MopDog

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  7. :) great quote. I think those Norse legends are well scary.

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  8. I love mythology of any kind, especially Norse mythology.

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  9. Oh, I can't help but think of Wagner's "Flight of the Valkyries" with this. And of a lower brow reference with undertakers via the film "Phantasm". And I agree with you about embalming and whatnot. Yuck.
    Awakening Dreams and Conquering Nightmares with a Pen
    In case I have not already informed you, I’m intermittently without Internet access right now. Thus I am trying to read and comment on as many blogs as possible whenever opportunity arises. Be well! And best wishes on completing the challenge.

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  10. And that still doesn't explain why my high school dance team (the one that performed with the marching band) got the title Valkyries. I have no idea what the band director was smoking when he came up with that.

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  11. I've read some excellent Valkyrie short stories that twist the original idea. Great post! Love the quote.

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  12. I must read these novels. Death is so funny. Who'd have thunk it???

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  13. Valhalla and Odin and the Shield maidens all for a rich mytholody, some of which I've noticed comes through on the show Vikings. When I read about Siegfriend and Brunhildr, I learned more about the Valkyries.

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    Replies
    1. that should have said 'form' a rich mythology. . .

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