For those interested: The Grim Reaper is not as evil as is commonly believed, nor does he represent death, but life. It goes back to the events around "Walburga", who, like all the other saints, was not a true person at all.

At that time there were true plagues, diseases (demons of the body) due to lack of hygiene. The world population remained at 200+ million as 8-9/10 children did not survive birth. In one particular tragic time, strangely dressed, hooded 'beings' with demonic faces (protective masks) appeared and disappeared everywhere. They carried with them a scythe-like structure from which came white smoke. When they disappeared again, the 'evil spirits' were defeated.

This event was called "Ṿāl'pùrğes", only very few educated people have been inaugurated. The Ṿāl, a people of the Æşír, had eliminated the causes of disease. Pùrğe in the ancient language means "to clarify" in the sense of "to purify" (removing toxins) and "Ṿāl'pùrğes" is what it means when the Ṿāl do that.