Helgi agrees and Heroinn asked Svava to kiss him because she would not see him again before Helgi had been avenged. As Helgi lay dying he sent a companion to King Eylimi to send Svava so that they could meet before he died.īefore he died, Helgi asked Svava to marry his brother Heoinn. A curse from a troll woman that Helgi's brother Heoinn had received fell on Helgi. He challenged Helgi to a holmgang (duel) and mortally wounded Helgi. This was the first she had not accompanied Helgi in battle.Īlfr, the son of King Hroomar who was killed in battle against Helgi, wanted to avenge his father. When Helgi left for battle after the wedding, Svava remained with her father.

King Eylimi consented and so Helgi and Svava are married. Having become great in battle, Helgi goes to Svava's father, King Eylimi and asks the king for his daughter's hand. Svava followed him to all his battles and kept him from all harm. Helgi claims the sword and becomes a great warrior. It was among a hoard of other swords in Sigarsholm and informs Helgi of the location, describing his sword in great detail. Svava informs Helgi of a great sword engraved with snakes and magic runes. He speaks, calling her 'bright face lady', and asks what gift he shall receive with his new name. Helgi wanted nothing if he could not have Svava herself. She then asks if he wanted a gift with his newly-given name. Knowing he has no name and is silent, Svava gives him the name of Helgi (the holy one). One of them was Svafa, which means 'the most beautiful one'. When this silent man had grown up, he was one day sitting on a burial mound and he saw nine Valkyries riding over him. The Norwegian king Hjorvaror and Sigrlinn of Svafaland had a son who was a silent man and to whom no name could be given.

One that is a favorite is a story of Svafa and Helgi, from the poem Helgakvioa Hjorvarossonar of the Poetic Edda. There are many legends of individual Valkyries. Wikipedia Public Domain Legend of Helgi and Svafa (Sigrun) Odin, the Wanderer by Georg von Rosen, c. Sessrimnir is her heavenly home, which is great and abundant with beauty - it is there that she receives half of the dead warriors that the Valkyries gather from battlefields In the great hall of Sessrimnir, the fallen warriors become immortal guests at the bountiful tables, eat their daily meals, listen to visiting gods tell of legends and battles, and never want for anything. Although she is Oor's wife, Freyja has her own dwelling halls in Folkvangr, the afterlife.

Freyja is married to Oor, a warrior who travels often, leaving Freyja to grieve for him.įreyja is the Norse goddess of love, beauty, sexuality, fertility, war, and death. In the book is a poem called Gylfaginning which mentions Freyja, Odin's beautiful concubine whom he loves dearly. The Prose Edda was the most trusted source of Norse mythology and is still used today as a trusted authority on the subject. The book is about Norse mythology and is written in poetic language. The Prose Edda was written by Snorri Sturlson (1179 - 1241), an Icelandic historian and poet.

Valkyrie freyafemale nordic warriors