With Your Shield, Or On It
A long, long time ago Norse women would tell their husbands and son - before they were to head off to war - "With your shield, or on it."
You see, the Norse were a very militant people, and honor in battle was cherished very highly. The saying told the men that they were to come home with their shield, or on it.
The Norse carried these large shields that you could not run with. If a man came home without his shield, then it was obvious he had dropped it to run from the battle. But, if a man died during battle, then he was carried home by his friends - on his shield.
Move on