Editing Valhalla (section)

==== ''Grímnismál'' ====
In stanzas 8 to 10 of ''[[Grímnismál]]'', the god Odin (in the guise of [[List of names of Odin|Grímnir]]) proclaims Valhalla is in the realm of [[Glaðsheimr]]. Odin describes Valhalla as shining and golden, and it "rises peacefully" as seen from afar. From Valhalla, every day Odin chooses from those killed in combat. Valhalla has [[spear]]-shafts for rafters, a roof thatched with shields, [[Mail (armor)|coats of mail]] are strewn over its benches, a wolf hangs in front of its west doors, and an eagle hovers above it.<ref name=LARRINGTON53>Larrington (1999:53).</ref><poem>
 The hall is easily recognised by those who come to Óðinn:
 Spear-shafts are the rafters, the hall is thatched with shields,
 And the benches are strewn with byrnies.

 The hall is easily recognised by those who come to Óðinn:
 A warg hangs before the western door,
 And an eagle hovers above . . .

 Andhrímnir lets Saehrímnir, best of flesh,
 Be seethed in Eldhrímnir, the cauldron,
 Though few know what the Einherjar feast on.

 Battle-accustomed, glorious Host-Father feeds Geri and Freki;
 But weapon-stately Óðinn lives on wine alone.

 Huginn and Muninn fly over the mighty earth every day;
 I fear for Huginn, that he not come back,
 But I look more for Muninn.

 Thundr roars loudly;
 Thjóðvitnir’s fish sports in the flood;
 The river roars loudly,
 The battle-slain think it too strong to wade.

 That which stands on the holy fields,
 Before the holy doors,
 Is called Valgrind, the Slain-Gate;
 Those gates are old,
 And few know how they may be locked.

 Five hundred and forty doors:
 So I know to be in Valhöll;
 Eight hundred Einherjar go out of one door,
 When they fare to battle the Wolf.

 The goat who stands on Host-Father’s hall
 Is called Heiðrún,
 And bites off the limbs of Laeraðr;
 She shall fill a cauldron with the shining mead,
 That drink will never be exhausted.

 The hart who stands on Host-Father’s hall
 Is called Eikthyrnir,
 And bites off the limbs of Laeraðr;
 And drops fall from his horns into Hvergelmir,
 To which all waters wend their way.

 Shaker and Mist I wish to have bear a horn to me;
 Skeggjöld and Striker, Shrieker and Battle-Fetter,
 Loudness and Spear-Striker, Shield-Strength and Rede-Strength,
 And God-Inheritance,
 They bear ale to the Einherjar.
(Grímnismál 9–10, 18–22, 23–26)
</poem><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Gundarsson |first=Kveldulf |title=The Teutonic Way: Wotan; The Road to Valhalla |date=2021 |publisher=The Three Little Sisters}}</ref>
Odin, throughout this story is seen to have pet ravens that he sends out, and the warriors of his hall are dead men and ghosts who endlessly fight battles and endlessly die. There are also women who feed them and serve them alcohol and are the same spirits who chose them to die in the battles they fight. Valhalla in this story can be seen as a beautiful hall for the dead but it can also be seen as a lofty stylization of a battlefield after a fight. There are broken weapons and shields and dead bodies and ghosts cover the hall that gets ravaged by wolves and ravens. To the Vikings of the time, this was not only their desired afterlife, but a way to cope with the horrors of battle.<ref name=":2" />