Dangers of Alchohol!

Better gear than good sense
A traveller cannot carry,
Better than riches for a wretched man,
Far from his own home,


Better gear than good sense
A traveller cannot carry,
A more tedious burden than too much drink
A traveller cannot carry,


Less good than belief would have it
Is mead for the sons of men:
A man knows less the more he drinks,
Becomes a befuddled fool,


I forget is the name men give the heron
Who hovers over the feast:
Fettered I was in his feathers that night,
When a guest in Gunnlod's court


Drunk I got, dead drunk,
When Fjalar the wise was with me:
Best is the banquet one looks back on after,
And remembers all that happened,

Important News for the Traveller

Who travels widely needs his wits about him,
The stupid should stay at home:
The ignorant man is often laughed at
When he sits at meat with the sage,



Of his knowledge a man should never boast,
Rather be sparing of speech
When to his house a wiser comes:
Seldom do those who are silent Make mistakes;
Mother wit Is ever a faithful friend,



A guest should be courteous
When he comes to the table
And sit in wary silence,
His ears attentive,
his eyes alert:
So he protects himself,



Fortunate is he who is favored in his lifetime
With praise and words of wisdom:
Evil counsel is often given
By those of evil heart,



Blessed is he who in his own lifetime
Is awarded praise and wit,
For ill counsel is often given
By mortal men to each other,

Michael Jackson - Odin's Advice Ignored

The half wit does not know that gold
Makes apes of many men:
One is rich, one is poor
There is no blame in that.


Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But the good name never dies
Of one who has done well


Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But I know one thing that never dies,
The glory of the great dead


Fields and flocks had Fitjung's sons,
Who now carry begging bowls:
Wealth may vanish in the wink of an eye,
Gold is the falsest of friends.


In the fool who acquires cattle and lands,
Or wins a woman's love,
His wisdom wanes with his waxing pride,
He sinks from sense to conceit.

Be Kind to the Stranger, for He May Have Wisdom to Tell!

Water, too, that he may wash before eating,
Handcloth's and a hearty welcome,
Courteous words, then courteous silence
That he may tell his tale,

Wisdom from Odin

He hath need of fire, who now is come,

numbed with cold to the knee;

food and clothing the wanderer craves

who has fared o'er the rimy fell.

No man should freeze for lack of hospitality, be generous to your guest and they will reciprocate!

Words from the Mighty One

Hail, ye Givers! a guest is come;

say! where shall he sit within?

Much pressed is he who fain on the hearth

would seek for warmth and weal.

Hospitality is a duty, not a whim, take care of your guests whoever they may be!

Words From the High One (Havamal)

At every door-way,ere one enters,

one should spy round,one should pry round

for uncertain is the witting

that there be no foeman sitting,within,

before one on the floor






Wise words indeed, for only a fool enters without first checking for his enemies!


Are these words still true today? A resounding yes!