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Updated: May 29, 2025
"I have not rhymed it," the king answered; "but sometimes the song shapes itself when it is needed." He took Guerir's little harp and tuned it afresh and sang. And in the words were more wisdom than in the Havamal or in the song of the bards, so that I wondered; and Harek was silent, looking out to the sunset with wide eyes.
We used to call him that at times for it means "the quiet" in our old tongue seeing how gentle and courtly he was in all his ways. So the name was well fitting in either way. "Silent and thoughtful should the son of a king be," says the Havamal, and so it was with Havelok, son of Gunnar.
Then one evening the song woke within the scald's breast, and he said to Neot: "Many and wise words have you spoken, Father Neot. Hear now the song of Odin the Havamal and tell me if you have aught to equal it." "Sing, my son," the good man answered. "Wisdom is from above, and is taught in many ways."
Indeed he is said to have been sacrificed to himself in the ordinary way, as we learn from the weird verses of the Havamal, in which the god describes how he acquired his divine power by learning the magic runes: "I know that I hung on the windy tree For nine whole nights, Wounded with the spear, dedicated to Odin, Myself to myself."
Havamal is a collection of proverbs, but contains two interpolations from mythical poems; Alvissmal, which, in the form of a dialogue between Thor and a dwarf Alviss, gives a list of synonyms, is a kind of mythologico-poetical glossary.
And they, the old savings, were wise as the "Havamal" itself. But he stopped ere long, saying: "The English words will not frame the meaning rightly. I do no justice to the wisdom that is hidden." Then Neot turned to the king, and said: "Sing to Harek words from the book of Wisdom that we know. I think you can remember it well."
The poet who sings the Rune Song in the Havamal does it with every combination of mystery, calculated to inspire awe and wonder in the hearer. The two poems, "Odin's Raven Song" and the "Song of the Way-Tamer," are among the most deeply poetical hymns of the Edda. They relate to the same great event the death of Balder and are full of mystery and fear.
Now, as I have said, none but Withelm thought twice about these things; but in the end the love of the marsh folk was a thing that was needed, and that Withelm had learned somewhat of their faith was the greatest help that could be, as will be seen. True are the words of the Havamal, the song of the wisdom of Odin, which say, "One may know and no other, but all men know if three know."
The maxims here brought together more resemble the Proverbs of Solomon than anything in human literature, but without the high religious views of the Scripture maxims. It shows a worldly wisdom, experience, and sagacity, to which modern life can add nothing. In the Havamal is included the Rune Song.
"Rig's Song" explains, allegorically, the origin of the three castes: the thrall, the churl, and the noble, which, at a very early period, appear to have formed the framework of Scandinavian society. "The Havamal," or the High Song of Odin, is the complete code of Scandinavian ethics.
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