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by Stephan Sinding located in Copenhagen , presents an active image of a valkyrie.]] In Norse Mythology the valkyries are '' Dísir '', minor female deities, who serve Odin . The valkyries' purpose was to choose the most heroic of those who had died in battle and to carry them off to Valhalla where they became Einherjar . This was necessary because Odin needed warriors to fight at his side at the preordained battle at the end of the world, Ragnarök . It appears, however, that there was no clear distinction between the valkyries and the Norns . Skuld is for instance both a valkyrie and a norn, and in the '' Darraðarljóð '' (lines 1-52), the valkyries weave the web of war (see below). In modern art, the valkyries are sometimes depicted as beautiful Shieldmaiden s on winged horses, armed with helmets and spears. However, ''valkyrie horse'' was a Kenning for Wolf (see Rök Stone ), so contrary to the stereotype, they did not ride Winged Horses . Their mounts were rather the packs of wolves that frequented the corpses of dead warriors. They were gruesome and war-like. Whereas the wolf was the valkyrie's mount, the valkyrie herself appears to be akin to the Raven , flying over the battlefield and "choosing" corpses ( {Link without Title} ). Thus, the packs of wolves and ravens that scavenged the aftermath of battles may have been seen as serving a higher purpose. The origin of the valkyries as a whole is not reported in extant texts, but many of the well known valkyries are reported as having mortal parents. According to Thomas Bulfinch 's highly influential work ''Bulfinch's Mythology'' (1855), the armour of the valkyries "sheds a strange flickering light, which flashes up over the northern skies, making what men call the 'Aurora Borealis,' or 'Northern Lights.'" However, there is nothing in our sources which supports this claim. [http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/njordrljos.htm ETYMOLOGY The word "valkyrie" comes from the Old Norse ''valkyrja'' (plural "valkyrur"), from the words "val" (slaughter) and "kyrja" (to choose). Literally the term means ''choosers of the slain''. Cognate forms include the Old English "wælcyrige" and the German "Walküre." MAJOR VALKYRIES Several valkyries appear as major characters in extant myths.
Other sources indicate that some other valkyries were notable characters in Norse Mythology , such as Gunnr who appears on the Rök Runestone , and Skögul who still appeared on a runic inscription in 13th Century Bergen . OTHER VALKYRIES Apart from the well known valkyries above, many more valkyrie names occur in our sources. In the Nafnaþulur addition to Snorri 's Edda the following strophes are found. painter In Grímnismál we have Odin reciting the following stanza. In Völuspá there are still more names. More are mentioned in Darraðarljóð (lines 1-52), a poem where their connection with the Norn s is evident:
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