Skuld (the name possibly means "
debt
Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money or other agreed-upon value to another party, the creditor. Debt is a deferred payment, or series of payments, which differentiates it from an immediate purchase. The ...
" and is related to the English word "should") is a
Norn in
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...
. Along with
Urðr
Urðr (Old Norse "fate"Orchard (1997:169).) is one of the Norns in Norse mythology. Along with Verðandi (possibly "happening" or "present"Orchard (1997:174).) and Skuld (possibly "debt" or "future"Orchard (1997:151).), Urðr makes up a trio of ...
(
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
"fate"
[Orchard (1997:169).]) and
Verðandi (possibly "happening" or "present"
[Orchard (1997:174).]), Skuld makes up a
trio of Norns that are described as deciding the fates of people. Skuld appears in at least two poems as a
Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ("chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become (Old Norse "single (or once) fighters"Orchard (1997:36) ...
.
''Poetic Edda''
Skuld is mentioned in ''
Völuspá'', a poem collected in the 13th century ''
Poetic Edda'':
''Prose Edda''
''Gylfaginning''
In the ''
Prose Edda
The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often assumed to have been t ...
'' book ''
Gylfaginning'', Snorri informs the reader that the youngest Norn, Skuld, is in effect also a valkyrie, taking part in the selection of warriors from the slain:
::These are called Valkyrs: them Odin sends to every battle; they determine men's feyness and award victory.
Gudr and
Róta and the youngest Norn, she who is called Skuld, ride ever to take the slain and decide fights."
[''Gylfaginning''](_blank)
in translation by Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur (1916), at Sacred Texts.
''Nafnaþulur''
In the ''
Nafnaþulur
''Nafnaþulur'' (Old Norse: ) is a subsection of the ''Prose Edda'', the last part of the ''Skáldskaparmál
''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Language of Poetry'; c. 50,000 words; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda''.
The sectio ...
'' addition to
Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda
The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often assumed to have been t ...
the following sections reference Skuld:
See also
*
Antevorta In ancient Roman religion, Antevorta was a goddess of the future, also known as Porrima. She and her sister Postverta (or Postvorta) were described as companions or siblings of the goddess Carmenta, sometimes referred to as "the Carmentae". They may ...
*
Atropos
Atropos (; grc, Ἄτροπος "without turn") or Aisa, in Greek mythology, was one of the three Moirai, goddesses of fate and destiny. Her Roman equivalent was Morta.
Atropos was the oldest of the Three Fates, and was known as "the Inflex ...
Notes
References
* Orchard, Andy (1997). ''Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend''.
Cassell.
{{Time in religion and mythology
Norns
Valkyries
Female supernatural figures in Norse mythology
Textiles in folklore
Time and fate goddesses
Gýgjar