Skögul

"Shaker." The name of a valkyrie. She is listed among the valkyries in the Nafnaþulur and in the eddic poems Grímnismál and Völuspá:

She the Valkyriur saw

from afar coming,

ready to ride

to the gods' people:

Skuld held a shield,

Skögul was second,

then Gunn, Hild, Göndul,

and Geirskögul.

Now are enumerated

Herian's maidens,

the Valkyriur, ready

over the earth to ride.

In the skaldic poem Hákonarmál by Eyvindr skáldaspillir, Odin sends her and Göndul to the battle of Fitjar to chose who of the fallen shall dwell in Valhalla:

Göndull and Skögull

Gauta-Týr sent

To choose from kings

Who of Yngvi's kin

Should go with Odin

And be in Valhall.

The dying king Håkon has a brief exchange with Skögul and she tells him that she and the others shall ride forth "to the green homes of the godheads" and tell Odin that the king will now come to see him himself.

Her name appears in kennings for battle (Din of Skögul, Wind of Skögul), for shield (Board of Skögul), for sword (Fire of Skögul), and others. She sometimes appears to be the same as Geirskögul.

❧