Vali – Son Of Odin, Who Avenged Death Of Balder And Survived Ragnarok

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - In Norse mythology, Vali was the god of eternal light and the youngest son of the god Odin. His mother was the earth goddess Rindr (Rinda), a beautiful mortal woman who later became a goddess.

Vali, son of Odin. Source

Usually portrayed and revered as an archer and a brave warrior, Vali personified the light of the days, which becomes longer when spring arrives on the earth.

He was one of the few gods to survive the destruction of the world – Ragnarok.

Odin Must Mate With Beautiful Rindr To Produce A Son

Rindr was the only child of an old king, Billing, whose country was systematically threatened by invaders, but his health did not allow him to defend his land successfully. He needed allies, and he could get the help he needed through his daughter's marriage.

Unfortunately, the beautiful Rindr stubbornly refused to get married.

In the meantime, Odin, worried about his son Balder's terrifying dreams, decided to visit Völva, a seeress and magician, who predicted the destruction of the earth, gods, and powers at Ragnarok. Her prophecies were feared not only by Vikings but even by the Norse gods.

He mounted his wonderful, magical horse Sleipnir and journeyed to the underworld, Niflheim, and there, he learned that his son Balder would be killed by Odin's son, the blind Hod (Hodur). The Völva also added that this would be avenged by another son of Odin's, Vali, as yet unborn.

Vali (Vale), holding a bow, traveling through a forest. Carl Emil Doepler (1824-1905) - Wägner, Wilhelm. 1882. Nordisch-germanische Götter und Helden. Otto Spamer, Leipzig & Berlin. Page 263.

In other versions of this myth, it is Rostioff, the wizard from Lapland, who prophesied that from the union of Odin and Rind, a son, Vali, would be born, and he would avenge the death of Balder.

According to the seeress' instruction, the mighty Odin must meet king Billing's daughter, Rindr, and mate with her to produce a son, so he did.

Despite many clever disguises, Odin had difficulties winning Rind. Eventually, he succeeded by using magical runes; Rindr agreed to marry him.

The newborn son, Vali, would become an adult in only one day, and then, according to her prophecy, this young man would kill Hod (Hodur) for what he did to Balder.

Vali was conceived with one purpose: to avenge his brother Balder's death.

One Night Old Vali Takes Vengeance And Kills Hodur

Nine months passed and Vali, a newborn boy, just one night old, with dirty hands and uncombed hair, crossed the Bifrost, a burning rainbow bridge between Midgard (Earth) and Asgard, the dominion of the gods.

Suddenly, he grew in front of everyone gathered in the hall until he was as big as an adult man.

Odin realized that the boy was his son Vali. Vali drew an arrow from the quiver that he would always carry and shot it at Hodur, who died instantly. Balder's death was avenged, as the Völva prophesized it.

Vali is mentioned in poems such as Vavtrudnesmal's sayings, the third poem in the Poetic Edda, 'Gylfaginning,' the first part of Snorri Sturluson's 13th century Prose Edda, and Voluspa.

Written by - A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Updated on December 1, 2022

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