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.”