Aslaug

Aslaug (Old Norse: Áslaug [ˈɑːsˌlɔuɣ]), also known as Aslög, Kráka [ˈkrɑːkɑ], or Kraba, is an important figure in Norse mythology who appears in Snorri's Edda, the Völsunga saga, and the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok as one of his wives.

According to the 13th-century Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok, Aslaug was born to the legendary hero Sigurd and the shieldmaiden Brynhildr, but was raised by Brynhildr's foster father Heimer. Following the deaths of Sigurd and Brynhildr, Heimer feared for Aslaug's safety. To protect her, he constructed a harp large enough to conceal the child inside and traveled disguised as a poor harp player carrying his precious cargo.

Their journey brought them to Spangereid at Lindesnes in Norway, where they sought shelter in the home of peasants Áke and Grima. Suspecting the harp contained valuables, Áke mentioned this to his wife Grima, who convinced him to murder Heimer while he slept. When they broke open the harp, they discovered the young girl inside. They decided to raise her as their own daughter, naming her Kráka ("Crow"). To conceal her beauty—which would reveal her noble origins—they smeared her with tar and forced her to wear a long hood.

Years later, while Kráka was bathing, some of the legendary king Ragnar Lodbrok's men discovered her. So captivated were they by her beauty that they allowed their bread to burn. When Ragnar inquired about this incident, they told him about the extraordinary maiden. Intrigued, Ragnar sent for her, but devised a test of her intelligence: he commanded her to arrive neither dressed nor undressed, neither fasting nor eating, and neither alone nor in company.

Rising to the challenge, Kráka appeared wrapped only in a fishing net, biting an onion, and accompanied solely by a dog. Impressed by her cleverness and wisdom, Ragnar proposed marriage. However, she refused his proposal until he had completed his mission in Norway.