Herfjötur

In Norse mythology, Herfjötur (Old Norse: Herfjǫtur, "war-fetter",^[1] "host-fetter"^[2] or "fetter of the army"^[3]) is a valkyrie. Herfjötur is attested as among the 13 valkyries listed in the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál, and in the longer of the two Nafnaþulur lists found in the Prose Edda.

Rudolf Simek says the name is kenning-like and that the name likely refers to the "fortune determining function of the valkyries especially in battle."^[3] Simek points to a connection between the name and the idisi mentioned in one of the two Merseburg Incantations and says that "these Idisi are obviously a kind of valkyrie, as these also have the power to hamper enemies in Norse mythology."^[4]

Notes

^ Vigfússon, Guðbrandur; Cleasby, Richard. An Icelandic-English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198631033.
^ Orchard (1997:194).
^ ^a ^b Simek (2007:142).
^ Simek (2007:171).

References

Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 0-304-34520-2
Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer ISBN 0-85991-513-1

[1] Vigfússon, Guðbrandur; Cleasby, Richard. An Icelandic-English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198631033.

[ORCHARD194-2] Orchard (1997:194).

[SIMEK142-3] Simek (2007:142).

[SIMEK171-4] Simek (2007:171).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Valkyries
Individual valkyries	Alruna Brynhildr Eir Geiravör Göndul Gunnr Herfjötur Herja Hlaðguðr svanhvít Hildr Hervör alvitr Hljod Hlökk Kára Mist Róta Sigrún Skögul and Geirskögul Skuld Sváfa Svipul Þrúðr
Poems about valkyries	Völuspá Grímnismál Darraðarljóð Nafnaþulur Sigrdrífumál
See also	Dís Matres and Matronae Norns Odin Shield-maiden Swan maiden Valhalla Völva
Category