[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I have never heard that the Ring of Odin was ment to controll the valkyries, but it did spawn 8 other rings each 9th night. Odin being a ring-lord shows how mighty he is, as said the act of giving out rings said a lot of the giver. Although it did not give Odin the kind of unbreakable power over the holders of the Rings as Sauron, it still symbolise that he hold power over these and the power is not that easily broken.

In the "Valkyrie Song" about the battle at Clontarf 12 Valkyries is spottet. . .I had never thought of the "darker" side of the valyries, But I can see how it would have been a fright full sight and one could think that the inspiriation of them would have been death-demons (Nazgul?).
If only the valkyiry did not pour mead to the warriors in Valhal. . .but then again it would not be very like Tolkien to copy charachters and that is what really facinates me. . .the way he takes part of a mythology/legend and puts it into a charachter, but always with twists and other mytsh and legends mixed into it.

I totaly agree with you Lal, a normal person would not have known. I however am not a normal person and I was speaking strictly from my point of view as a reader. I would have liked to be decieved by Tolkien, because I think he had the skills to make it convincing.