The Saga of Vanadís, Völva and Valkyrja

is an alphabetical list of these words and concepts with translations and clarifications in
Appendix 1.
My primary source material is the original Islandic literature, the Eddas,
Heimskringla and the Sagas. I try to keep true to my own understanding of these texts,
although I reflect my ideas, interpretations and translations in relation to those of others.
When I quote the original Islandic sources directly, I choose to use the Islandic texts (old
or revised) and use my own translations of them as far as possible. I do this to make an
attempt at being true to the original messages, which are often hidden in webs of words in
the old prose, but even more so in the poems.
Islanders are usually called by their first names, since the last name is most often
only an indication of whose daughter or son you are. My last name Bjarnadóttir indicates
that I am the daughter of Bjarni (my father’s first name). My first name is Valgerður and
my daughter’s last name is therefore Valgerðardóttir. If I had a son his last name would
be Valgerðarson or they could have their father’s first name as their last, with the addition
of dóttir or son. Einar Pálsson and Hermann Pálsson are not brothers or even related,
although both are distant relatives of mine (this is a small country). They both had a
father called Páll, that’s all. Helga Kress is the daughter of a Norseman, and therefore has
a “proper” family name. Sigurður Nordal is of the generation who tried to be international
and took up the use of family names. I will stick to the Islandic tradition of going by first
names or both, never only a last name, when I’m referring to Islandic authors or figures.
Snorri Sturluson will therefore be either just Snorri or Snorri Sturluson, never just
Sturluson. In the bibliography, however, I will stick to APA tradition, and list the authors
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