"The Norns, in Norse mythology are female beings who rule the destiny of gods and men, comparable to the Fates in classical mythology.
The three Norns, daughters of Erda, gather beside Brünnhilde's rock, weaving the rope of Destiny. They sing of the past and the present, and of the future when Wotan will set fire to Valhalla to signal the end of the gods. Without warning, their rope breaks. Lamenting the loss of their wisdom, the Norns disappear" (Wikipedia)
Beautiful image of the three Norns weaving the rope of destiny seated under a fantastic, gnarled tree, silhouetted against the early morning sky - a very atmospheric image, from the wonderful Arthur Rackham