Tales of Valhalla Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hall of the slain

"Valhöll", the word from which "Valhalla" is obtained, actually comes from two words in Old Norse: "valr", which means "the slain", and "höll", which means "hall". It is also connected to the Old English for "the slain, slaughter, and carnage". "Höll" is related to the Modern English "hall", or "covered place", although some believe that it could have been derived from the Swedish "hallr", which is the underworld.

The best information about the goings on in Valhalla can be found in the compilation of poems that is found in the "Codex Regius". Believed to have been compiled in the 1200s, the codex originated in Iceland, and was the source for the "Poetic Edda", which was written by unknown authors.

In particular, the poems "Grímnismál" and "Helgakviða Hundingsbana II" describe the Norse belief in Valhalla.

The "Prose Edda", which was written by Snorri Sturluson at about the same time, also contains information about Valhalla.

Answer: Asgard

In Norse mythology there were two pantheons of deities that waged war against each other - the Æsir (associated with power and war) and Vanir (associated with fertility and farming); eventually the two pantheons were unified. The Æsir lived in Asgard, which is where Valhalla was located, while the Vanir inhabited a place within the Nine Worlds called Vanaheimr. Snorri Sturluson said that Asgard, with a name translated as "garden of the gods", consisted of twelve realms.

He wrote that it was a fertile land with a great deal of wealth.

In addition, the people who lived there were smarter, wiser, and stronger than the others. Valhalla was sheltered by a golden tree named Glasir, and had a roof made of golden shields.

Answer: False

Some historians believe that Viking warriors may have felt a stronger allegiance to some gods over others, which resulted in there being different resting places of those killed in battle. Apparently it was only about half of the slain warriors who were selected to go to Valhalla; the dead who resided there were called "Einherjar".

The other half went to Fólkvangr, which was the domain of Freyja, goddess of war and death. Folkrangr, which was located in Asgard, was described as a meadow where Freyja maintained a "large and beautiful" hall named Sessrumnir. Freyja was also known as "Valfreyja", which translated as "Freyja of the slain".

Answer: They bring those who inhabit Valhalla mead and serve their meal.

On the battlefield, the valkyries, "Choosers of the Slain", selected who would live and who would die. They also choose which of the slain would be taken to Valhalla. When they were not on the battlefield, they served food and mead. The "Poetic Edda" gave a list of valkyries' names, including Gunnr and Hildr; in the "Prose Edda", Snorri Sturluson wrote that "they bring drink and see to the table and the ale cups" and also provided more names for the list. Valkyries were described as being beautiful maidens, carrying shields and riding horses.

Many amulets have been found that show young women in ponytails carrying drinking horns; archaeologists believe these are depictions of valkyries.

Answer: Odin

Odin was associated with many aspects of Viking life. Along with many other attributes, he was the god of wisdom, death, healing, battle, and sorcery. He was married to the goddess Frigg, goddess of foresight and wisdom, and was the father of many, including Thor and Baldur. Odin was described as only having one eye; the other was sacrificed in order for the god to obtain greater perception.

His companions were his wolves, Geri and Freki, his ravens Huginn and Muninn, and Sleipnir, his eight-legged horse.

He lived in a hall called Valaskialf, that had a roof made of silver and contained a throne from which he could view the world. Valhalla was considered to be another of Odin's halls, and make no mistake of it - while the valkyries were the "Choosers of the Slain", who selected those who live, those who die, and those who go to Valhalla, Odin directed their choices.

He was the ruler of Asgard.

Answer: Boar

Many creatures lived in Valhalla; Sæhrímnir was the creature, usually described as being a boar, who was killed every day by the chief food preparer in Valhalla, Andhrímnir. Sæhrímnir was prepared every day in the same pot that was called Eldhrímnir. Just how large was this boar? Large enough to feed everyone in Valhalla! It was written that the 540 doors were so wide that 800 Vikings walking shoulder to shoulder could march out.

Not only that, remember the number of those in Valhalla increased daily. Everyone there could eat as much as they wanted at mealtime, sitting in a dining hall that was equipped with tables and chairs that were made from breast plates and armor.

Not only that, but Sæhrímnir was resurrected every evening so that he could be served at the next evening meal. And - don't worry! There was plenty of mead for everyone too! It dripped from the udder of Heiðrún and fell into a cauldron from which all could drink their fill!

Answer: Stag

Eikþyrnir, also known as Eikthyrnir, lived at the entrance to Valhalla. He was typically seen standing on its roof, grazing on the golden-red leaves of the tree, Læraðr, which was sometimes associated with the cosmic tree of the Viking world. It was said that drops of water fell from the horns of Eikþyrnir Into the spring, Hvergelmir, which was believed to have been the source of many rivers. One source says that Hvergelmir was located in Niflheim, one of the Nine Worlds that was characterized by freezing cold.

Answer: Thor

Not only were there 540 rooms in Valhalla, there were also 540 rooms in Bilskirnir, the hall that belonged to Thor, one of Odin's sons. Located in Asgard, in a kingdom called Þrúðheimr, or Thrudheim, Thor lived with his mistress, his children, and his wife, Sif, a fertility goddess known for her golden hair; in fact, many view their marriage as one between an earth mother and a sky god. If Odin was the wisest of all the Norse deities, Thor was the strongest.

In addition to the considerable personal strength he possessed, he also had a belt that he could wear which would make him even stronger! He was associated with a number of important things - including thunder, lightning, storms, fertility, and agriculture.

Answer: False

The Einherjar, those who were chosen to reside in Valhalla, might do some good deeds, but their main purpose in being in Valhalla was to further hone their battle skills. In order to do so they had to fight battles daily and practice. Their typical routine seemed to emulate the life they lived on earth, at least their idea of what a perfect life would be.

They would rise every morning, dress, put on their armor and battle each another one-on-one. Interestingly, anyone who was injured was magically healed by meal time.

Then, served by beautiful women, they were given as much food and drink as they could hold. What more could a Viking want out of life - or death?

Answer: Ragnarok

The Einherjar, who must practice their battle moves daily, were specifically chosen to fight for Odin during Ragnarok - even though it had already been fated that the gods and the entire world would be destroyed during this time. That is why Odin choose those who would enter his hall very carefully.

They were the warriors who might just be able to help him overcome fate and win the final battle. Although they were unsure as to when Ragnarok would occur, they believed it would begin with a period of three long winters without summers in between. Mankind would run out of food and other necessities and desperation would cause terrible things to happen. During this crisis, the wolf, Fenrir, and the serpent, Jormungand, would be unleashed; Odin, his Einherjar, and the other gods, were slated to fight against the beasts, who would ultimately be defeated, but not without paying the heavy price of death to most involved.

While some versions of the story said there would be no survivors, others said a few survived, including Thor's sons and a man and woman who hid during the cataclysmic event.

Although some historians view the story of Ragnarok as a doomsday event, others believe that it might have been indicative of the fact that the Vikings understood that their way of life was fading. Like the gods, they were not willing to go out without a good fight!