A certain goddess? (Celtic/Norse?)

Question

I am thinking about writing a story featuring a goddess I heard of once who was possibly celtic or norse. She would be seen washing men's swords (or clothes?) by the river before battle, predicting death. If anybody has any idea who this goddess was, I would appreciate it.

Answer 1

Freyja is a Norse goddess.  She is the mistress of the god Odin, whose wife is Frigg.  Freyja wears lots of jewelry.  At the end of a battle, Odin takes the souls of half the dead Vikings to Valhalla, while Freyja takes the souls of the other half to Valhalla also.  Ravens have significance in Norse mythology as well, but are associated with Odin, while boars are associated with Freyja.  I have not heard of her washing men's swords nor clothing, though.

Answer 2

That's Celtic, the washer-woman is a sort of sidhe or fairy that predicts men's deaths by washing their bloody uniforms or weapons in rivers the night beforehand. They were known as the bean nighe in Scottish Gaelic, in the Ulster Cycle the goddess of war the Morrigan is seen acting as a bean nighe, but usually these are fairies, sidhe, not goddesses.  

Answer 3

Based on a quick search I did online, you might be referring to the Irish goddess Morrígan...OR the Scottish fairy Bean nighe.

"Memories or her survive in modern Celtic folklore as the Washer of the Ford (Ford as in river or stream), who is seen as a weeping woman washing blood stained shrouds at a ford in the river." - from the article on Morrígan at Celticpagan.com

"In one version of Cúchulainn's death-tale, as the hero rides to meet his enemies, he encounters the Morrígan as a hag washing his bloody armour in a ford, an omen of his death." - from the article on Morrígan at Wikipedia

"As the "Washer at the Ford" she wanders near deserted streams where she washes the blood from the grave-clothes of those who are about to die." - from the article on Bean nighe at Wikipedia

Answer 4

Here ya go.

http://www.geocities.com/thaylann/Morrig...

Answer 5

I honestly can't remember what she's called (some strange gaelic name) but what you're thinking of is a form of the Irish/Scottish banshee who was said to be seen washing blood stained clothes by the river before battles, as you said, predicting death. She is of the faery folk and in later times became a ghost-type figure.

No doubt she is connected to a Celtic goddess as all faery myths from the British Isles tend to be. Sorry I can't be more help but this should help you narrow down your search. Sounds like it would make a really good story....

Answer 6

You are thinking of the banshee.

Not a Goddess, but a spirit.

The Celtic Goddess(es) of death in war are the Morrigan.