Shield-maiden as a shield-maiden in the text. Saxo Grammaticus reported that shield-maidens fought on the side of the Danes at the Battle of Brávellir in the year 750: Examples of shield-maidens mentioned by name in the Norse sagas include Brynhildr in the "Vǫlsunga saga", Hervor in "Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks", the Brynhildr of the "Bósa saga ok Herrauðs", the Swedish princess Thornbjǫrg in "Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar" and Princess Hed, Visna and Veborg in "Gesta Danorum". Two shield-maidens appear in certain translations of the "Hervarar saga". The first of these Hervors was known to have taken up typically masculine roles early in
Norse mythology the source texts. As evidenced by records of personal names and place names, the most popular god among the Scandinavians during the Viking Age was Thor, who is portrayed as unrelentingly pursuing his foes, his mountain-crushing, thunderous hammer Mjölnir in hand. In the mythology, Thor lays waste to numerous jötnar who are foes to the gods or humanity, and is wed to the beautiful, golden-haired goddess Sif. The god Odin is also frequently mentioned in surviving texts. One-eyed, wolf and raven-flanked, and spear in hand, Odin pursues knowledge throughout the worlds. In an act of self-sacrifice, Odin is described as