(Fafnismal.) When Heidrek, the son of Hofund, was outlawed by his father for his misconduct, he asked to have advice given him: “King Hofund said: ‘Little advice will I give him, for I think he will make bad use of it; but, since you ask, I will give him first the advice never to help the man who has betrayed his master; the second is never to spare the life of (always to slay) a man who has murdered his companion; the third is not to let his wife visit her kinsmen often though she ask; the fourth not to tell his concubine all his secrets; the fifth not to ride on his best horse when in a hurry; the sixth never to raise the child of a more high-born man than he is himself; the seventh never to break his truce; the eighth never to take with him many captured thralls. If he follows all this advice he will be a man of luck, though I outlaw him now for breach of the law” (Hervarar Saga, c. 8). “A tree falls not at the first blow,” said an Icelander to the priest Thangbrand, who was going to christianize Iceland. (Njala, ch. 103.) “Cold (fatal) are the counsels of women,” said the chief Flosi to his kinswoman Hildigunn, who urged him to revenge her husband. (Njala, ch. 116.) “You have much of a swine’s memory” (a very short memory), said Gudrún, when she was urging her brothers to slay Kjartan, her former lover. (Laxdæla, ch. 48.) “It must be worse before it gets better.” (Fms. v. 199.) “A sheepless household starves.” “The bondi is bú-pillar; the bú is the pillar of the land.” Sigrdrífa gives the following counsels to Sigurd: _Sigrdrífa._ First, I advise thee Do no wrong to Thy kinsmen; Do not avenge thyself Though they harm thee. It is said to be good after death. Secondly I advise thee, Swear not an oath, Unless it be true; Cruel roots Strike perjury; Wretched is the wolf of plighted faith. Thirdly I advise thee That thou at a thing Do not quarrel with fools; For an unwise man Often says Worse words than he knows. All is difficult If thou art silent, Then thou art thought to be born a coward, Or his (the fool’s) words to be true: The home-judgment is dangerous Unless thou gettest a good one. The next day Thou shalt slay him (the fool), And thus reward people for their lie. Fourthly I advise thee, If a witch Full of evil lives on the way, It is better to walk on Than lodge there Though the night overtake thee. Eyes of foresight Need the sons of men In the angry fight; Often wicked women Sit near the road, Who blunt both sword and sense.