Skuld

"Is-to-be", "Will-happen." The youngest of the three Norns, the others being Urðr and Verðandi. Skuld is the norn of the future. She is mentioned twice in Völuspá, once as a norn (stanza 20) and once as a valkyrie (stanza 31):

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.

This is repeated by Snorri Sturluson in Gylfaginning. Snorri says that Guðr and Róta and the youngest norn, she who is called Skuld, ride ever to take the slain and decide fights. Her name is also found in the list of valkyrie names in the Nafnaþulur section of Skáldskaparmál.

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