Norsery Rhymes from A to Z
Happy Thorsday – Ailrun, Swan Maiden Valkyrie Princess - V2
Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological characters. This week it’s another version of character I missed when I was doing the A’s Alirun / Ailrun / Alruna / Ailruna / Ölrún. The Swan Maiden Valkyrie Princess mentioned in the Völundarkviða and Thidreks sagas.
Her name means some variation of house of secret knowledge. Or where the secrets reside.
She is the daughter of a mythical Roman emperor Kiár of Valland, and the foster sister to two other princesses Hlathguthr Svanhvít (The Swan White) and Hervör Alvitr / Swanhilde (The All Wise, Strange Creature). Each Swan maidens and possible Valkyries themselves.
Each are described as helmed as Helmed as Valkyries, fair, young, stately, and foreign to the northern lands being from the south. Each capable of transforming into a swan, and are fierce warriors.
They flew into the north after their father disappears. And on meeting three Princes each falls in love and marries one of them. Spending 9 years together before the Swan Maidens are compelled to leave to follow fate. Ailrun’s Husband Being Egil / Aigil / Aegil / Aligaz the Archer (Fear his Arrows blades)
I’ll draw the sisters when I get to the H’s, but I’ll try my hand at another more roman version of Ailrun for next week maybe.
