THE HAVAMAL. 



409 



Many a good maiden 



If thou searches!, well 



Is fickle to men ; 



That I found 



When I the counsel wise maiden 



Sought to beguile ; 



Every mocking 



Showed me the wise maiden, 



And from that woman nought had I. 



At home shall a man be merry 

 And cheerful t,o his guests, 

 Cautious about himself, 

 Of good memory and ready speech, 

 If he wants to be very wise ; 

 A good man is often talked of; 

 A great fool is he called 

 Who little can tell ; 

 That is the mark of a fool. 



I visited the old jotun ; 

 Now I have come back ; 

 Little got I silent there ; 

 Many words 

 I spoke for my good 

 In the halls of Suttung. 



Gunnlod gave me 



On a golden chair 



A drink of the costly mead ; 



111 reward 



I gave her afterwards 



For her strong love, 



For her true love. 

 s 



The point (mouth) of Eati 

 I let make its way 

 And gnaw the rock ; 

 Over me and under me 

 Were the ways of jo tuns, 

 Thus I risked my head. 



The trick-bought mead 

 I have enjoyed well ; 

 The wise lack little, 



For Odrerir l 



Has now- come up 



On the skirt of the earth of men. 2 



I doubt whether 



I should yet have come 



Out of the jotun halls, 



If I had not had help 



From Gunnlod, the good maiden. 



Eound whom I laid my arm. 



The next day 



The Hrim-thussar came, 



To ask about the purpose of Har 3 



Into his hall ; 



They asked about Bdlverk 4 



If he was among the gods, 



Or Suttung had slain him. 



An oath on the ring, 5 



I think, Odin took ; 



Shall his plighted faith be trusted ? 



He defrauded Suttung 



Of his mead, 



And made Gunnlod weep. 



It is time to speak 



From the chair of the wise man 



At the well of Urd ; 



I saw and was silent, 



I saw and pondered, 



I listened to the talk of men ; 



I heard talk of runes, 



Nor were they silent about their plans 



At the hall of Har ; 



In the hall of Har 



I heard this spoken. 



I advise thee, Loddfafuir, 



Take thou my advice; 



Thou wilt profit by it if thou takest 



it; 



Rise not at night 

 Unless thou goest a spying 

 Or thou art compelled to go out. 



1 Odrerir = song-inspirer or vessel for 

 the poetic mead. 



2 Midgard. 



3 Odin. 



4 Odin. 



5 I.e., the Temple ring which, like the 

 Bible now, was formerly used for oaths. 



6 These three verses are repeated at the 

 head of nearly each stanza but omitted 

 after this stanza. 



