Editing Valkyrie (section)

===Runic inscriptions===
[[File:Rökstenen.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Rök runestone]]]]
Specific valkyries are mentioned on two [[runestones]]; the early 9th century [[Rök runestone]] in [[Östergötland]], [[Sweden]], and the 10th-century [[Karlevi Runestone]] on the island of [[Öland]], [[Sweden]], which mentions the valkyrie [[Þrúðr]].<ref name="MACLEOD37"/> On the Rök runestone, a [[kenning]] is employed that involves a valkyrie riding a wolf as her steed:
{{poemquote|That we tell the twelfth, where the horse of the Valkyrie [literally "the horse of [[Gunnr]]"] sees food on the battlefield, where twenty kings are lying.<ref name="ANDRÉN11">Andrén (2006:11).</ref>}}

Among the [[Bryggen inscriptions]] found in [[Bergen]], [[Norway]], is the "valkyrie stick" from the late 14th century. The stick features a [[Runic alphabet|runic inscription]] intended as a charm. The inscription says that "I cut cure-runes", and also "help-runes", once against [[elf|elves]], twice against [[trolls]], thrice against [[jötunn|thurs]] and then a mention of a valkyrie occurs:
{{poemquote|Against the harmful ''skag''-valkyrie,
so that she never shall, though she never would –
evil woman! – injure (?) your life.<ref name="MACLEOD34-35">MacLeod (2006:34–35).</ref>}}

This is followed by "I send you, I look at you, wolfish perversion, and unbearable desire, may distress descend on you and ''jöluns'' wrath. Never shall you sit, never shall you sleep ... (that you) love me as yourself." According to Mindy MacLeod and Bernard Mees, the inscription "seems to begin as a benevolent formulation before abruptly switching to the infliction of distress and misery, presumably upon the recipient of the charm rather than the baleful valkyrie", and they posit the final line appears "to constitute a rather spiteful kind of charm aimed at securing the love of a woman".<ref name="MACLEOD34-37">MacLeod (2006:34–37).</ref>

MacLeod and Mees state that the opening lines of the charm correspond to the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Sigrdrífumál'', where the valkyrie Sigrdrífa provides runic advice, and that the meaning of the term ''skag'' is unclear, but a cognate exists in ''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I'' where Sinfjötli accuses Guðmundr of having once been a "''skass''-valkyrie". MacLeod and Mees believe the word means something like "supernatural sending", and that this points to a connection to the Ragnhild Tregagás charm, where a valkyrie is also "sent forth".<ref name=MACLEOD34-37/>