The image of the Valkyrie is known from the mythology of the Scandinavian peoples. The ancient Scandinavians considered them to be the arbiters of the destinies of peoples, because they decided which of the warriors would get victory in battle.
Valkyries in the Scandinavian epic
Translated from the ancient Germanic languages, Valkyrie means "choosing the slain." These warlike girls, according to Scandinavian mythology, decided the fate of the warriors on the battlefield. In the oldest legends and myths, the Valkyries were described as angels of death who cut the heavenly heights on horseback over the fighting warriors. Fulfilling the will of Odin, the supreme god of the Scandinavians, the Valkyries decided who would gain victory and who would lay down their sword forever. They took the souls of the best warriors to the heavenly castle called Valhalla, where Odin's warriors were now improving in martial arts, and the Valkyries served them.
In later myths, the Valkyries are presented in a more romantic way. They are portrayed as beautiful golden-haired maidens with white skin sometimes taking the form of magnificent swans. Their horses were created from clouds, thanks to their manes of rain, dew and frost covered the ground. Meanwhile, Anglo-Saxon legends say that some Valkyries descended from elves, while others were chosen by the gods during their lifetime from among the daughters of noble princes.
Valkyrie legends in world art
People learned about the Valkyries and many other mythical creatures from the monument of ancient literature - "The Elder Edda". Hence their names are known: Göndul, Hun, Rota, Skogul, Sigrdriva, Sigrun, Svava, Skuld, Hlekk, Trud, Krist, Mist, Hild and others.
The famous example of the Germanic epic "Song of the Nibelungs" describes the story of the Valkyrie Sigrdriva, who, disobeying Odin, gave the victory to the wrong warrior. The Supreme God ordered to immerse her in a deep sleep, after which she became a simple woman. Another Valkyrie named Brunhilde married an earthly man and also lost her power.
The image of the Valkyries is used in such works as "The Valkyrie" by Paolo Coelho, the novel "Valkyrie" by Maria Semyonova, the cycle "Keeper of Swords" by Nick Perumov, the series of books "Methodius Buslaev" by Dmitry Yemets and many others. German composer Richard Wagner, inspired by the fateful nature of the Valkyries, created the famous opera Flight of the Valkyries.
In cinematography and animation, the image of warrior maidens is interpreted in many cartoons of the anime genre, in the TV series "Xena - Warrior Princess", "Charmed", "Call of Blood", in the film "Angel Fighter", etc. The Valkyrie character is popular in many computer games.