a real friend will disagree with you openly.
[125] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
Don’t speak even three words
with a man worse than you.
Often the better man will lose
when a worse man fights him.
{40} [126] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
Don’t make shoes,
and don’t make weapons,
except for yourself;
if there’s a flaw in the shoe,
or the spearshaft is crooked,
your name will be cursed.
[127] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
When you are at war,
call it war,
and give your enemies no peace.
[128] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
Never be glad
to hear bad news,
but be cheerful about good news.
[129] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
You should never look up
when you’re in a fight—
men who do so
may get turned to stone—
beware, or someone may curse you.
[130] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
{41} If you want to win a good woman,
speak cheerfully with her,
and enjoy it while you do,
make promises to her,
and keep your promises,
you’ll never regret winning such a prize.
[131] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
I advise you to be wary,
though never fearful:
be most wary about drinking,
about other men’s women,
and about a third thing:
about men and their temptation to steal.
[132] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
Never mock,
never laugh at,
a guest nor a wanderer.
[133] Those inside the house
rarely know anything
about the stranger who knocks at their door,
but there is no man so good
that he has no flaw,
nor a man so bad he’s good for nothing.
[134] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
Never laugh
at an old man.
There is often wisdom in what old men say;
wise words will often
come from a gray-bearded mouth.
{42} From those who hang with dried skins,
those who swing with dried skins,
those who wave with dried skins.
[135] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
Never spite a guest
nor be stingy with your food—
treat a poor wanderer well.
[136] Otherwise it’s a bitter tree
you’ll find yourself hanging from
in the sight of all.
Give a beggar something,
or he will call
a curse down on your every limb.
[137] I counsel you, Loddfafnir,
if you’ll take my advice,
you’ll profit if you learn it,
it’ll do you good if you remember it:
When you drink beer,
choose the might of the earth,
for the earth is good against beer,
and fire against sickness,
oak against an irritable bowel,
wheat against magic,
an elder-tree against family quarrels,
maggots against venomous bites,
runes against distress,
ground against water.
Swear your hate beneath the moon.
[138] I know that I hung
on a wind-battered tree
nine long nights,
pierced by a spear
and given to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree
{43} whose roots grow in a place
no one has ever seen.
[139] No one gave me food,
no one gave me drink.
At the end I peered down,
I took the runes—
screaming, I took them—
and then I fell.
[140] I learned nine spells
from the famous son of Bolthorn,
the father of Bestla,
and I won a drink
of that precious mead,
poured from Othrerir.
[141] My imagination expanded,
I became wise,
I grew, and I thrived.
One word chased another word
flowing from my mouth,
one deed chased another deed
flowing from my hands.
[142] You will find runes,
runic letters to read,
very great runes,
very powerful runes,
which Odin painted,
and which the holy gods made,
and which Odin carved.
[143] Odin carved for the gods,
and Dain for the elves,
Dvalin for the dwarves,
and Asvith for the giants;
I carved some myself.
[144] Do you know how to write them?
Do you know how to read them?
Do you know how to paint them?
{44} Do you know how to test them?
Do you know how to ask them?
Do you know how to bless them?
Do you know how to send them?
Do you know how to offer them?
[145] It is better not to pray at all
than to pray for too much;
nothing will be given that you won’t repay.
It is better to sacrifice nothing
than to offer too much.
Odin carved this
before the birth of humankind,
when he rose up
and returned again.
[146] I know magic spells
that no woman knows
and no man, either.
The first is called “Help,”
and it will help you
in lawsuits and sadness,
and all kinds of worries.
[147] I know a second spell
which men need
if they want to heal others.
[148] I know a third spell;
if I have a great need
to thwart my enemies,
I dull the edges
of their weapons,
and none of their blades will bite.
[149] I know a fourth spell;
if chains and locks are placed
upon my limbs,
&nbs
p; I cast this spell
so that I can escape.
The chains burst from my hands,
the locks burst from my feet.
{45} [150] I know a fifth spell;
if I see a spear cast
into a crowd of battling foes,
it cannot fly so fast
that I can’t change its course,
as long as I can see it.
[151] I know a sixth spell;
if a man carves a curse against me
in runes on the root of a tree,
I call this spell down
upon that man,
and his curse harms him instead of me.
[152] I know a seventh spell;
if I see a great flame
consuming a hall full of people,
it cannot burn so bright
that I cannot save those inside;
I know how to cast this spell.
[153] I know an eighth spell;
it would be useful
for anyone to learn it.
When hate arises
between any two people,
I can cool their tempers.
[154] I know a ninth spell;
if the need arises
for me to save a ship upon the sea,
I can calm the wind
upon the waves
and soothe the sea to sleep.
[155] I know a tenth spell;
if I see witches
at play in the air,
I can cast this spell
so that they get lost,
{46} so they can’t find their skins,
so they can’t find their minds.
[156] I know an eleventh spell;
if I lead old friends
into a battle,
I enchant their shields
so that they will have the victory;
they will go to battle unharmed,
and return from battle unharmed.
They will come home without harm.
[157] I know a twelfth spell;
if I see, hanging from a tree,
a dead man’s corpse,
I carve some runes
and paint them,
and then that corpse will walk
and speak with me.
[158] I know a thirteenth spell;
if I sprinkle water
upon a new-born boy,
he will never be killed
even if he goes into battle;
that man will not die from violence.
[159] I know a fourteenth spell;
it allows me to count
all the gods for men.
I know the names
of all the gods and elves,
and few who are fools can say that.
[160] I know a fifteenth spell;
the dwarf Thjothreyrir
cast it upon Delling’s doors.
He conjured power for the gods,
and courage for the elves;
they knew Odin.
{47} [161] I know a sixteenth spell;
if I want to win over a cunning woman
and have her all to myself,
I can change the mind
of that lovely-armed beauty
and win her favor for myself.
[162] I know a seventeenth spell,
to prevent a beautiful woman
from shunning me.
Loddfafnir,
all these spells would be
useful to you all your life.
They would profit you if you learned them,
they’d do you good if you remembered them,
they’d suit your needs if you could use them.
[163] I know an eighteenth spell
which I will never teach
to a girl or a woman,
unless maybe to the one
I call my wife,
or my sister.
It is much better
that one alone should know this,
which is the last of the spells.
[164] Now the words of the One-Eyed
are heard in Valhalla,
for the benefit of humans,
for the harm of giants;
health to you who speak them,
health to you who know them,
joy to you who learn them,
health to you who hear them.
{48} Vafthruthnismal (Odin’s Contest with Riddle-Weaver)
Vafthruthnismal involves the visit of Odin to the hall of a giant named Riddle-Weaver (Old Norse Vafthruthnir), who engages Odin in a contest of mythological knowledge. The poem provides not only an interesting portrait of Odin, but, in the stanzas exchanged by Odin and Riddle-Weaver, we also learn a great deal of random information on various myths which might otherwise be unknown. Vafthruthnismal appears in both the Codex Regius and in the manuscript AM 748 I 4to.
Vafthruthnismal
Odin said:
[1] “ADVISE ME NOW, FRIGG;
I want to travel
and visit Riddle-Weaver.
I want to have
a contest about old lore
with that wise giant.”
Frigg said:
[2] “I would advise you, Odin,
father of battles, to stay here,
in the homes of the gods.
I don’t think there’s any giant
who is as wise
as Riddle-Weaver.”
Odin said:
[3] “I have traveled so much,
I have tried much,
and I have often tested the mighty.
Now I want to know
what kind of hospitality
there is in Riddle-Weaver’s hall.”
{49} Frigg said:
[4] “Then travel safe,
and come back in one piece—
stay safe on your journeys, Odin!
May your wits serve you well
wherever you go,
when you exchange words with the giant.”
[5] Odin then went
to test the wisdom
of that wise giant.
Odin came to the hall
Riddle-Weaver owned,
and he went straight inside.
Odin said:
[6] “Hail, Riddle-Weaver!
I have come to your hall
for the purpose of seeing you.
The first thing I want to know
is if you are wise—
or perhaps even all-knowing.”
Riddle-Weaver said:
[7] “Who is this man
who stands in my hall,
who is this I’m speaking to?
You won’t leave my hall
unless you prove yourself
to be even wiser than I am.”
Odin said:
[8] “My name is Good Advisor,
and I come to your hall
thirsty from a long journey.
After my long trip,
I have need of hospitality
and a good welcome, giant.”
{50} Riddle-Weaver said:
[9] “Well then, ‘Good Advisor,’
why are you still standing up?
Take a seat in my hall!
Then we’ll find out
who knows more,
the guest, or his wise old host.”
Odin said:
[10] “A poor man,
if he visits a rich man,
ought to be silent, or say only what he must.
Too much talk
will bring harm to the guest
of a grudging host.”
Riddle-Weaver said:
[11] “Tell me, ‘Good Advisor,’
if you want to test yourself,
sitting in your seat in my hall:
What is the name
of the horse who pulls the sun
over the humans below?”
Odin said:
[12] “That horse is named Skinfaxi;
he pulls the bright sun
over the huma
ns below.
Everyone thinks he’s the best horse
who lives in Midgard—
the mane of that horse always shines.”
Riddle-Weaver said:
[13] “Tell me, ‘Good Advisor,’
if you want to test yourself,
sitting in your seat in my hall:
What is the name of the horse
who pulls the moon, east to west,
at night over the mighty gods?”
{51} Odin said:
[14] “That horse is named Hrimfaxi
who pulls the moon, east to west,
every night over the mighty gods.
The slobber from his mouth
falls to the ground every morning,
and that’s the reason for the dew.”
Riddle-Weaver said:
[15] “Tell me, ‘Good Advisor,’
if you want to test yourself,
sitting in your seat in my hall:
What is the name
of the river that separates
the lands of the gods from the giants’?”
Odin said:
[16] “That river is named Ifing,
which separates the lands
of the gods from those of the giants.
That river
will run free forever;
it will never freeze over.”
Riddle-Weaver said:
[17] “Tell me, ‘Good Advisor,’
if you want to test yourself,
sitting in your seat in my hall:
What is the name
of the valley where Surt
will lead the final battle against the gods?”
Odin said:
[18] “That valley is named Vigrith,
where Surt will lead
the final battle against the gods.
It is one hundred miles long
on each side—
that’s why this valley is chosen.”
{52} Riddle-Weaver said:
[19] “You are wise indeed, guest!
Come sit at my bench,
let’s talk together here.
Let’s wager our heads
on which of us two
is wiser, here in my hall, guest.”
Odin said:
[20] “Tell me this first,
if your wits serve you well,
if you know it, Riddle-Weaver:
How did the earth come to be,
or heaven; which one was
the first, giant?”
Riddle-Weaver said:
[21] “The earth was made
from Ymir’s flesh;
the rocks were made from his bones.
The sky was made from the skull
of that ice-cold giant,
the sea was made from his blood.”
Odin said:
[22] “Tell me this second,
if your wits serve you well,
if you know it, Riddle-Weaver:
How did the moon come to be,
the one that floats over the earth,
or what about the sun, giant?”
Riddle-Weaver said:
[23] “Mundilfari is the name
of the father of the moon;
he was also the sun’s father.
They will float across the sky
every day, to help the humans
The Poetic Edda Page 6
