Slow Havamal: 162

In verse 162, Odin says he knows a seventeenth spell: he can prevent a beautiful woman from shunning him. He then addresses Loddfafnir once more, saying that Loddfafnir will go without these spells for a long time but it would be good if he learned them.

With the previous spell, Odin can win a cunning woman; with this one, prevent a beautiful one from shunning him. Maybe it’s nice to have a backup, or maybe the cunning woman differs so much from the beautiful one that the same spell won’t work in both cases. Either way, Odin has the situation covered, and we learn that both cunning and beauty are highly valued in a woman, if that was in doubt.( Read more... )