July 14, 2005

The Norse Heaven

In Norse mythology, Einherjar (or Einheriar) referred to the spirits of warriors who had died bravely in battle. The einherjar live on in Valhalla, the Norse Heaven.

Every day they are woken by Gullinkambi, a rooster, and march out to great field of Idavoll in the heart of Asgard to fight against each other in merry (and mortal) combat. At dusk, when they are all cut to pieces, save perchance a few, they are miraculously healed, and marches back into Valhalla, where Andhrimnir, the chef of the gods, has prepared a meal for them from the pork of Sahrimnir, a pig that is reborn every day, and the mead milked from Heiðrún, a goat feeding on the leaves of Yggdrasil. The einherjar then spend the evening and night in feast, served by lovely Valkyries, until they all fall asleep, solidly drunk. And yet, they never experience hangovers or other mishaps from this daily inebriation.

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