Slow Havamal: 41

The 41st verse says that friends ought to engage in generous mutual exchanges, giving each other weapons and clothing; that these generous acts are they key to a lifelong friendship.

A more thorough treatment of my views on generosity can be found here. What Odin seems to encourage is a specific type of generosity: conspicuous mutual exchange. That’s not to say other forms aren’t appreciated in Old Norse culture. But this one can be found all over the myths and sagas. Kings regularly lavish their brave retainers with gold rings, swords and shields, and other fine paraphernalia. Often, this is the distribution of loot after a successful raid. The spoils belong to one man in this case, but there’s an expectation that they will be shared fairly, or he may find himself with a lot less friends when the time for the next one comes around. The more a giver impoverishes himself, the greater the number of allies he can count on.( Read more... )