Einherjar
|
|
In Norse mythology, Einherjar (or Einheriar) referred to the spirits of warriors who had died bravely in battle. The name means "outstanding fighter." Half of them were escorted from the battlefield after dying by the Valkyries (these are what is referred to as "einherjar"); the other half went to Sessrumnir, Freya's hall. The einherjar live on in Valhalla, the Norse Heaven. The Grimnismál describes Valhalla as having five hundred and forty doors, and through each of them, eight hundred men could march abreast, indicating the size of the hall, as well as the numbers of the einherjar.
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 cook 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 Heidrun, 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.
Needless to say, all the years of training should make the einherjar a formidable contribution to the forces of the Aesir at Ragnarok, when Odin will call them up to fight the forces of Hel and the giants.
Template:NorseMythologyda:Einherjer de:Einherjer (Mythologie) nl:Einherjar ja:エインヘリャル pl:Einherjer ru:Эйнхерии sv:Einhärjar