The Saga of Vanadís, Völva and Valkyrja

of Freyja and the dwarfs of the dark stone. As I have also mentioned above, the Sámis
were at times called dvergar as well as jötnar and þursar. In the poem Völundur is called
king of álfar and we have seen how álfar and Vanir are often referred to as the same tribe,
and Freyr is called king of álfar. Álfur is quite a common proper name for kings affiliated
with the Goddess, whether Sámi, Vanir, or from other unnamed tribes (see Álfur and
Gyðja in Örvar Odds Saga, below).
As the dwarfs of Ásgarður fashioned Brísingamen for Freyja, Völundur fashions
rings of red gold, all for his valkyrja, and we may see this saga as the reversed fate of
Freyja and Óður. Óður goes away, and so does Hervör. In their deep sorrow, Völundur
and Freyja weep tears/rings of red gold. I could reflect upon what this red gold represents
in the connection between lovers, and why this metal is such an instrument of örlög in so
many of the myths, but I will not. I will merely state that it is more than a symbol of
greed, and of what we today connect to wealth. Before leaving Völundur and the valkyrja
I want to point to the fact that in this poem we have the common connection of álftir
(swans), álfar, valkyrjur, öndurgoð (skiing gods/goddesses), wolves and Sámis. Like in
all good heroic myths we have the abysmal örlög of the hero, but although the swan
maidens of this story weave the örlög of the men, there is nothing fearful about their way
of being, unlike the ones in Darraðarljóð.
Sváva and Helgi
In the poem Helga kviða Hjörvarðssonar, we have another well known theme,
which is the Freyja and Hyndla or Inanna and Ereshkigal theme, the Underworld Goddess
versus Goddess of heaven and earth. The valkyrja in this poem is an individual woman, a
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