Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1892 — Valhalla. [ARTICLE]

Valhalla.

The ancient Scandinavians Wllevfd that '"high up in the sky is Odin’s hall, the magnificent Valhalla, or temple of the slain.” They believed -that the Vaulted roof of heaven was held in position by columns which had formerly been the spears used by warriors, and that the roof itself was made of shields overlapping each other like coats of mail. The “vaikyrs” were Odin’s bat-tle-maids, chosen for the banqueting rooms of his heroes. The heroes of Odin’s hall were thought to put their helmets on their heads, throw the bloody harness over a shadowy steed, and then with flaming swords to point the way to Valhalla and act as guides for warriors slain in battle. The valiant souls thus received into Odin’s presence are called “einheriar,” or, “the elect." The “Valkyrs” as white-clad virgins with flowing hair act as waiters for the einheriar. Each morning at the crowing of the golden-combed cock the whole host of well-armed einheriar rush through the 540 doors of Valhalla Into* great courtyard and pass the day in merciless fighting. However pierced and hewn into pieces they may be in these encounters, at evening every wound is healed, and they return to their heaven through its doors and are seated, according to their exploi.s at a bountiful feast. At this luxurious reipast the perennial boar, schremn r, deliciously cooked by andrimnir, is served, ■and, although devoured every night, is whole again the following morning, Teady to be served anew. Thus the two joys those terrible vikings knew when on earth —a battle by day and a feast by night—is the acme of their heavenly existence. As the valkyrs of the banqueting halls were never mentioned as being admitted to Valhalla proper, some writers have supposed that the Scandinavians did not accord to woman an immortal soul; this is far from the correct cone usion, however, says the St. Louis Republic, for it is well known that the ablest of the ancient writers always mentioned Valhalla as “a heaven within a heaven.” One writer says: “Valhalla is the exclusive abode of the most daring champions—but is not the whole of heaven."