The Saga of Vanadís, Völva and Valkyrja

þurfti til fróðleiks að hafa. Hon hafði á fótum sér kálfskinnsskúa loðna ok í þvengi langa ok á
tinknappar miklir á endunum. Hon hafði á höndum sér kattskinnsglófa, ok váru hvítir innan ok
loðnir. (Eiríks Saga, ch.4)
She wore a blue woven mantle adorned with stones all the way down to the hem. She had a
necklace of glass beads and on her head a black lambskin hood lined on the inside with white cat's
fur. In her hand she held a knobbed staff. The knob was of brass and decorated with stones. She
wore a belt made of touchwood, and fastened on it a large bundle, and in this she kept the magical
tools which she needed to seek her wisdom. On her feet she wore furry calfskin shoes with long
laces that had large tin-buttons on the ends. Her hands were dressed in catskin gloves, with the
white fur inside.
From her seat she explores the farm, watches the people and the animals, but
doesn’t say much. She is given a special meal.
Henni var gerr grautr af kiðjamjólk ok matbúin hjörtu ór öllum kykvendum, þeim er þar váru til.
Hon hafði ok messingarspón ok hníf tannskeftan, tvíhólkaðan af eiri, ok var brotinn af oddurinn.
She was given a porridge made of goat milk and prepared hearts from all the animals, found at the
farm. She had a brass-spoon and a knife with a tusk handle, with two copper rings, and the blade’s
point was broken off.
After the meal Þorkell asks her how she is doing, what she can make of the things
she sees and how soon she will be able to tell the fréttir (news or prophecy). She claims
that she will not say or do anything until the next morning, when she has slept there
overnight.
Here we can find several clues as to the origin, status, role and rituals of the völva.
Although the Sagas are fiction to a certain degree, we know that most of the characters
existed at one time, and therefore it is reasonable to assume that Þorbjörg was a real
person. She was held in high regard. This is partly because of the belief that the völva has
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