Goldbaender: The Valkyrie
Perhaps sip then, my friend, from your own cup of sacred victory, and reflect on this poem by Soturi Runoilija from his work “The Glorious Charge of the Resplendent Valkyrie, circa AD 1061”
The Glorious Charge of the Resplendent Valkyrie
Destiny’s Sisters, Warriors divine,
Fleet-winged Goddesses,
Outside of time;
Their sacred charge, they knew so well;
To raise their Champion,
Who in battle, fell;
Fortune complete, their honor now rests,
so stout of heart, having passed their test;
With Oden are they, in glorious feast,
They raise the chalice, and face due East;
A Toast to the Sunrise, in that most glorious place,
To know Valhalla's warmth, upon thy face!
Having passed beyond, this earthly estate,
With gods they sup, as Jarl’s debate;
For here they remain, now famed in story;
As mortals sing praise, to their Honor
and Glory!
Drink to wisdom! Drink to fate!
Remember ‘The Birdsong’!
At Valhalla's gate!
Skol Brothers! Skol!”
Trinken Zum Wissen! Verstehen den Gesang der Natur!
Never Surrender. Ever.
Tales of Old
I, Gunar Halvar
The great battle raged. Years of battle between our two clans had left many dead, many more wounded or crippled, yet little was ever resolved. Now, here again, I Gunar Halvar, found myself locked in mortal combat with yet another age-old adversary. I slew with ax, sword and bow, many a foe having already fallen at my side this day. But I too, was now bloodied and bested; I was fatally wounded. And though I fought on, I felt my own life-force slowly draining from my body. The furious din of battle began to subside, as the light of the world grew dim. I recall hearing one final thunderclap, and then The Light, as blowing out a candle, ceased. I had become as a vaporous whisk from a smoldering and dying wick…
The ceremonial fires at the Great Halls were at first flickering stars on some distant shore, although at first I did not understand this. My consciousness was slowly returning, as my awareness continued to build. My ‘eyes’ began to focus; my ‘ears’ began to hear. I then realized I was not dead! No, far from it! As in the joyous dreams of my youth and tales from our ancestors, I was speeding through the immaculate heavens, held tight in the grasp of her, my muse, a mighty, beautiful and fearsome Valkyrie! Was it a smile she offered, or something more? I did not know, but I assume it was by her hand that my mortal wounds were bound and then healed here atop this majestic, winged steed, as we now flew as one through the stars...
I was amazed to find that my bloodied clothes and battle-torn armor were gone; I was now dressed in the style of a Jarl noblemen. An amazing sensation continued to grow within yet all about me; was I becoming ever lighter? And here, in this moment with this warrior goddess, speeding past stars and through the dreams of gods and kings, I am become faster, fiercer yet strangely, somehow, I am even now much lighter and becoming purer still...
We rode in tandem, I in front, which in this circumstance seemed natural, although in life I would have never allowed it. Yet atop this all-powerful winged steed, and anchored firmly by my Valkyrie’s grasp, all seemed possible. The beast did not gallop so much as gracefully weave a path of golden light and ethereal flame through the heavens, its majestic mane waving to the rhythm of some celestial breeze. At what speed we traveled, I can only guess. The thought then entered my mind that I was a comet blazing across the heavens, having become the answer to yet another Norse warrior’s prayer. What a glorious fate indeed…
As we grew nearer to that distant shore, I was certain that I began to hear the most glorious music – even laughter and singing - imaginable! Yet not with my ears, but in my mind did I hear and see this! I struggled at first to make sense of it all; then at last I understood! Could it be? Yes! I was bound for The Great Banquet Halls of Valhalla...
I breathed a long deep breath of gratitude; my purpose now renewed. In acknowledgement to my silent prayer, my guardian offered a long, wonderful draught from her sacred horn. Never had an elixir, a libation, tasted so sweet, so reverently divine; no mead on earth ever tasted so glorious. Suddenly, my mind was still, and my thoughts became as clear as a precious stone: yes, I was sanctified. My spirit and body were rendered completely anew. I was power beyond understanding; a thousand years of wisdom in newborn skin! And at long, long last, I was going home! I knew that so many of my beloved kinsmen, from so many generations past, would be there, in Valhalla, waiting to welcome me. How magnificent. In pious acknowledgement, I drew a clenched fist to my breast, then, in my heart, I silently wept as I completely understood: honor is indeed its own greatest reward…
Be still then, my friend. Drink to victory and ponder this poem by Pyha Miekka. As excerpted from “Our sacred way: tales of battle, and the journey to Valhalla”, by Pyha Miekka, verse 3, chapter 5, circa 844AD:
Our sacred way: of battle, dying and the mystical journey to Valhalla
Listen my son, you’ll hear such a tale,
A warrior’s song, where no fool prevails;
These righteous One’s, like those of old,
Raised their swords, and with shields were bold!
Their enemies came, as thieves in the night,
To steal the labors-fruit;
Which was Ours by right!
Did we not stand, together as one?
And drive back the foe,
Drive back their sons?
We fight for honor,
To our names-sake be true;
We charge into battle, and
May the gods be with you!
Then if we do fall, by arrow or blade,
Know this day,
Our Destinies are made;
For truly we’ll hear,
A cry from on high,
The mighty Valkyrie will take us,
To our home in the sky;
So fear not my brother, nor sister divine,
Fight today with honor, for glory is thine;
For alas when we meet,
In Oden’s Great Hall
They’ll be only laughter
Between kinsman
And all!
Skol!
To find your sacred way, first, you must seek it.
Valhalla awaits any warrior bold enough to honorably defend one's true life purpose, and is willing to sacrifice all in order to obtain it.
.
Trinken Zum Wissen! Verstehen den Gesang der Natur!
Never surrender. Ever.
