Page 101 - Red Feather Book 2

Reading Comprehension. The Aesir
Answer the questions.
Part Three: The Valkyries and the Final Battle
1. Who were the Valkyries?
The Valkyries were the young, beautiful, courageous and kind daughters of mortal kings or gods. They served Odin by guiding the souls of worthy soldiers from the battlefields into the afterlife of Valhalla.
2. How did they travel to Midgard when they wanted to rest?
Sometimes, the maidens of Odin liked to travel to Midgard to enjoy themselves and rest. To make the journey, they donned the plumage of swans, brilliant, white feathers that covered their bodies.
3. In your own words, retell the story of Volund and the 700 rings.
Valkyries were “kidnapped” by three mortal brothers, they stayed with them as their wives, but after a time they went back to Valhalla, two brothers went out into the world to seek for them but one, Volund, stayed behind hoping his love would someday return. He was a great blacksmith and spent his days recreating a ring that his love had given him. He made 700 rings but one day one was missing. He took this to mean his love had taken it and one day would return. The king sent for him and kept him prisoner and forced him to build weapons and ornaments for him. One day he fashioned a pair of wings and escaped. He flew back to his cottage and there he found his long, lost love waiting for him, with the missing ring on her hand. He took her in his arms and flew to Alfheim.
98 The Red Feather Literature Second Course