134. Vices and virtues The sons of mortals bear In their breasts mingled; No one is so good That no failing attends him, Nor so bad as to be good for nothing. 135. At a hoary speaker Laugh thou never, Often is good that which the aged utter; Oft from a shriveled hide Discreet words issue, From those whose skin is pendent And decked with scars, And who go loitering among the vile. 136. I counsel thee, Lodfafner, To take advice; Thou wilt profit, if thou takest it. Rail not at a guest, Nor from thy gate thrust him; Treat well the indigent, They will speak well of thee. 137. Strong is the bar That must be raised To admit all.[20] Do thou give a penny, Or they will call down on thee Every ill on thy limbs. 138. I counsel thee, Lodfafner, To take advice; Thou will profit, if thou takest it. Wherever thou beer drinkest, Invoke to thee the power of earth; For earth is good against drink, Fire for distempers, The oak for constipation, A corn-ear for sorcery, A hall for domestic strife. In bitter hates invoke the moon; The bitter for bite-injuries is good, But runes against calamity; Fluid let earth absorb. This is all of the famous Hávamál of the Elder Edda except the so-called Runic Chapter, which will be given in the second part in connection with the myth of Odin. Hear now what the valkyrie has to say to Sigurd Fafnisbane in SIGRDRÍFUMÁL (_the Lay of Sigdrifa_). Sigurd rode up the Hindarfiall, and directed his course southward toward Frankland. In the fell he saw a great light, as if a fire were burning, which blazed up to the sky. On approaching it, there stood a _skialdborg_, and over it a banner. Sigurd went into the skialdborg, and saw a warrior lying within it asleep, completely armed. He first took the helmet off the warrior’s head, and saw that it was a woman. Her corselet was as fast as if it had grown to her body. With his sword, Gram, he ripped the corselet from the upper opening downwards, and then through both sleeves. He then took the corselet off from her, when she awoke, sat up, and, on seeing Sigurd, said: 1. What has my corselet cut? Why from my sleep have I started? Who has cast from me The fallow bands?