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SUPERSTITIONS. OMENS. 



he was called HniJcar (one of Odin's names), but they might 

 call him the man of the rock, Feng or Fjolnir (Odin's names). 

 He went on board and the storm ceased. 



Sigurd sang 



Tell me, Hnikar, 



As thou knowest both 



The luck of gods and men, 



Which are best 



If one should fight 



Omens at the swoop of swords. 



Hnikar. 



Many warnings are good 



J f men knew them 



At the swoop of swords ; 



I think the Col lowing 



Of the black raven 



Is good for a sivord-tree. 1 



A second (warning) is, 



If thou hast walked out 



And art ready on thy way,. 



And thou seest 



Standing on the path 



Two men anxious to praise thee. 



A third is that 



If thou nearest a wolf 



Howl under asb.-branc.hes. 



Good luck wilt thou get 



Against helmet-staffs 1 



If thou seest the wolves ahead. 



No man should fight 

 With his face against 

 The late shining 

 Sister of the moon ; 2 



Those gain victory 



Who are able to see 



The feats of the sword-play, 



Or can array in wedge-shape. 3 



It is a great danger 



If thou stumblest 



When thon rushest into fight ; 



Faithless Disir 



Stand on either side of thee 



And long to see thee wounded. 



Combed and washed 



Should every wise man be, 



And Avell fed in the morning, 



For it is uncertain 



Where he may be at night ; 



It is bad to hurry ahead of one's luck. 



" One morning a raven came to the lighthole at Brekka, 

 and croaked loudly ; then Hromund sang- 



Chiefs were death-fated, 

 When the birds of Graut 8 foretold the 

 fray. 



Outside I hear in the morning twi- 

 light 



The dark bine swan 4 of the sweat of 

 the wound-thorn 5 croak ; 



The prey wakes the wary-minded 

 one; 6 



Thus of yore screamed 



The hawk of Gunn 7 before 



Thorbjorn. 



The hail-sprinkled gull 9 of the wave 



of heaps of slain 

 Screams when it comes from the sea ; 



1 A warrior. 



2 Sister of the moon = sun. 



3 The famous war custom. 



4 I.e., raven. 



3 Wound-thorn, sword ; sweat of the 

 sword, blood. 



6 The raven was looked upon as very 

 wise and prophetic. 



7 I.e . a Valkvrja. 



8 The birds of Odin were the birds of 

 prey, or perhaps his ravens Hugin and 

 Munin coming to tell him the news. 



9 The hail-sprinkled gull, sprinkled 

 with blood; hail poetical expression used 

 for arrows. The wave of the heap of 

 slain the blood of the slain making 

 waves by its quantity. A gull is often 

 used as meaning a bird of prey. 



