Editing Valkyrie (section)

====''Helgakviða Hundingsbana I''====
[[File:Helgi Hundingsbane and Sigrún by Robert Engels.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Helgi Hundingsbane]] and Sigrún (1919) by [[Robert Engels (artist)|Robert Engels]]]]
In the poem ''[[Helgakviða Hundingsbana I]]'', the hero [[Helgi Hundingsbane]] sits in the corpse-strewn battlefield of Logafjöll. A light shines from the [[fell]], and from that light strike bolts of lightning. Flying through the sky, helmeted valkyries appear. Their waist-length [[Mail (armour)|mail armour]] is drenched in blood; their spears shine brightly:
{{poemquote|Then light shone from Logafell,
and from that radiance there came bolts of lightning;
wearing helmets at Himingvani [came the valkyries].
Their byrnies were drenched in blood;
and rays shone from their spears.<ref name="LARRINGTON116">Larrington (1999:116).</ref>}}

In the stanza that follows, Helgi asks the valkyries (who he refers to as "southern goddesses") if they would like to come home with the warriors when night falls (all the while arrows were flying). The battle over, the valkyrie [[Sigrún]] ("victory-[[runic alphabet|rune]]"<ref name="ORCHARD194">Orchard (1997:194).</ref>), informs him from her horse that her father [[Högni]] has betrothed her to [[Höðbroddr]], the son of king [[Granmar]] of the [[Nibelung|Hniflung]] clan, who Sigrún deems unworthy. Helgi assembles an immense host to ride to wage battle at Frekastein against the Hniflung clan to assist Sigrún in her plight to avoid her betrothment.<ref name="LARRINGTON116-117">Larrington (1999:116–117).</ref> Later in the poem, the hero [[Sinfjötli]] [[flyting|flytes]] with Guðmundr. Sinfjötli accuses Guðmundr of having once been female, and gibes that Guðmundr was "a witch, horrible, unnatural, among Odin's valkyries", adding that all of the einherjar "had to fight, headstrong woman, on your account".<ref name="LARRINGTON119">Larrington (1999:119).</ref> Further in the poem, the phrase "the valkyrie's airy sea" is used for "[[mist]]".<ref name="LARRINGTON120">Larrington (1999:120).</ref>

Towards the end of the poem, valkyries again descend from the sky, this time to protect Helgi amid the battle at Frekastein. After the battle, all the valkyries fly away but Sigrún and wolves (referred to as "the [[troll]]-woman's mount") consume corpses:
{{poemquote|Helmeted valkyries came down from the sky
—the noise of spears grew loud—they protected the prince;
then said Sigrun—the wound-giving valkyries flew,
the [[troll]]-woman's mount was feasting on the fodder of ravens:<ref name="LARRINGTON121">Larrington (1999:121).</ref>}}

The battle won, Sigrún tells Helgi that he will become a great ruler and pledges herself to him.<ref name="LARRINGTON122">Larrington (1999:122).</ref>