Spoken Lore

O’er Mithgarth Hugin         and Munin both Each day set forth to fly; For Hugin I fear        lest he come not home, But for Munin my care is more. ~ Grimnismal, stanza 20

Three roots there are                that three ways run ‘Neath the ash-tree Yggdrasil; ‘Neath the first lives Hel,        ‘neath the second the frost-giants, ‘Neath the last are the lands of men. ~ Grimnismal, stanza 31

Ratatosk is the squirrel        who there shall run On the ash-tree Yggdrasil; From above the words        of the eagle he bears, And tells them to Nithhogg beneath. ~ Grimnismal, stanza 32

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Othin spake: “First answer me well,         if thy wisdom avails, And thou knowest it, Vafthruthnir, now; In earliest time        whence came the earth, Or the sky, thou giant sage?”

Vafthruthnir spake: “Out of Ymir’s flesh        was fashioned the earth, And the mountains were made of his bones; The sky from the frost-cold        giant’s skull, And the ocean out of his blood.”

Othin spake: “Next answer me well,         if thy wisdom avails, And thou knowest it, Vafthruthnir, now; Whence came the moon,        o’er the worlds of men That fares, and the flaming sun?”

Vafthruthnir spake: “Mundilferi is he        who begat the moon, and fathered the flaming sun; The round of heaven        each day they run, To tell the time for men.”

Othin spake: “Third answer me well,         if wise thou art called, If thou knowest it, Vafthruthnir, now; Whence came the day,        o’er mankind that fares, Or night with the narrowing moon?”

Vafthruthnir spake: “The father of day        is Delling called, And the night was begotten by Nor; Full moon and old        by the gods were fashioned, To tell the time for men.” ~ Vafthruthnismal, stanzas 20 - 25

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On all sides saw I                Valkyries assemble,

Ready to ride                        to the ranks of the gods;

Skuld bore the shield,                and Skogul rode next,

Guth, Hild, Gondul,                and Geirskogul.

Of Herjans maidens                the list have ye heard,

Valkyries ready                to ride oer the earth. ~ Voluspa, stanza 31

The giantess old                 in Ironwood sat,

In the east, and bore                the brood of Fenrir;

Among these one                in monsters guise

Was soon to steal                the sun from the sky. ~ Voluspa, stanza 40

Then comes Sigfathers        mighty son,

Vithar, to fight                with the foaming wolf;

In the giants son                does he thrust his sword

Full to the heart:                his father is avenged. ~ Voluspa, stanza 53

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“Better no prayer        than too big an offering, By thy getting measure thy gift; Better is none                than too big a sacrifice, So Thundr of old wrote        ere man’s race began, Where he rose on high        when home he came.” ~ Havamal stanza 147

“An ash I know,                 Yggdrasil its name, With water white                is the great tree wet; Thence come the dews        that fall in the dales, Green by Urths well                does it ever grow” ~ Voluspa stanza 19

“Thence come the maidens        mighty in wisdom, Three from the dwelling        down neath the tree; Urth is one named,                Verthandi the next, On the wood they scored,-         and Skuld the third. Laws they made there,         and life allotted To the sons of men                and set their fates.” ~ Voluspa stanza 20

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“Though glad at home,              and merry with guests, A man shall be wary and wise; The sage and shrewd,              wide-wisdom seeking, Must see that his speech be fair” ~ Havamal stanza 103

“(Evil and good              do men’s sons ever Mingled bear in their breasts.) Oft scarcely he knows             who sits in the house What kind is the man who comes; None so good is found             that faults he has not, Nor so wicked that nought he is worth.” ~ Havamal stanza 135

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