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VALKYRIE (n. pl. -S)
Definition(s):
- (n.) a maiden in Norse mythology, especially one of the maidens of Odin who hover over battlefields, choosing which fallen warriors should be conducted to Valhalla
- (n.) any powerful witch, or any woman in charge of someone’s fate (rare)
- (n.) a woman who is in charge of filling cups and everything pertaining to the table (rare)
Useful information for game players:
- Front hooks: (none)
- Back hooks: -S
- Anagrams: (none)
- Longer extensions: (none)
- Wraparounds: (none)
- Other Spellings: VALKYR, WALKYRIE
- Related Forms: (none)
Epilogue:
Sometimes called “swan maidens” or “battle maidens,” the Valkyries of ancient Norse mythology are often depicted as beautiful young women riding flying horses, such as in Richard Wagner’s famous “Ride of the Valkyries” piece (from the opera Die Walkure). Valkyries (from an Old Norse word meaning “choosers of the slain”) have been variously described as ferocious demons who feasted on the dead, to faithful messengers who chose who would die in battle, to benevolent protectors who waited upon fallen warriors in Valhalla (Odin’s hall of honor), where they served food and filled the heroes’ cups with mead.
The multiple connotations of the Valkyries is appropriate to consider on Halloween, a holiday that is itself a complicated farrago of ancient and modern practices and legends. Depending on your viewpoint, Halloween can be a time associated with spirits and monsters, a lighthearted occasion to dress up and play make-believe, a celebration of the harvest and the changing of the seasons, a night of sexual freedom and debauchery, or anything in between. The word itself derives from the phrase Allhallow-even, or “eve of all saints,” because November 1st was called All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day, on the Christian calendar. Most current Halloween customs, however, derive either from ancient pagan rites and festivals or from modern books and films.
This week’s theme: Words starting with the letter V
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