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Chapter XXI
Chapter XXI
More Wise Words of Brynhild
Sigurd spake now, "Sure no wiser woman than thou art one may be found in
the wide world; yea, yea, teach me more yet of thy wisdom!"
She answers, "Seemly is it that I do according to thy will, and show thee
forth more redes of great avail, for thy prayer`s sake and thy wisdom;" and
she spake withal -
"Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses against
thee; bear and forbear, and win for thee thereby long enduring praise of men.
"Take good heed of evil things: a may`s love, and a man`s wife; full oft
thereof doth ill befall!
"Let not thy mind be overmuch crossed by unwise men at thronged meetings
of folk; for oft these speak worse than they wot of; lest thou be called a
dastard, and art minded to think that thou art even as is said; slay such an
one on another day, and so reward his ugly talk.
"If thou farest by the way whereas bide evil things, be well ware of
thyself; take not harbour near the highway, though thou be benighted, for oft
abide there ill wights for men`s bewilderment.
"Let not fair women beguile thee, such as thou mayst meet at the feast,
so that the thought thereof stand thee in stead of sleep, and a quite mind;
yea, draw them not to thee with kisses or other sweet things of love.
"If thou hearest the fool`s word of a drunken man, strive not with him
being drunk with drink and witless; many a grief, yea, and the very death,
groweth from out such things.
"Fight thy foes in the field, nor be burnt in thine house.
"Never swear thou wrongsome oath; great and grim is the reward for the
breaking of plighted troth.
"Give kind heed to dead men, - sick - dead, sea - dead, or sword - dead;
deal heedfully with their dead corpses.
"Trow never in him for whom thou hast slain father, brother, or whatso
near kin, yea, though young he be; for oft waxes wolf in youngling.
"Look thou with good heed to the wiles of thy friends; but little skill
is given to me, that I should foresee the ways of thy life; yet good it were
that hate fell not on thee from those of thy wife`s house."
Sigurd spake, "None among the sons of men can be found wiser than thou;
and thereby swear I, that thee will I have as my own, for near to my heart
thou liest."
She answers, "Thee would I fainest choose, though I had all men`s sons to
choose from."
And thereto they plighted troth both of them.
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