Slow Havamal: 90

The 90th verse says the love of deceitful women is like driving an untamed foal without horeshoes over slippery ice; like sailing in a wild wind; or like limping after reindeer after a thaw.

The love of deceitful women returns as a topic after a string of verses about things we shouldn’t always trust. The metaphors Havamal gives are those of a wild time, though dangerous and frustrating. In each of these situations, the man is at the mercy of external elements—the environment, as well as an animal or the wind. I’m sure women could come up with some colorful metaphors for the love of a deceitful man, but we’ll treat what’s in the text with the understanding that this isn’t one-sided.( Read more... )