She was named Sigrdrifa, and was a Valkyria.  She said that two kings had made war on each other, one of whom was named Hialmgunnar; he was old and a great warrior, and Odin had promised him victory.  The other was Agnar, a brother of Hoda, whom no divinity would patronize.  Sigrdrifa overcame Hialmgunnar in battle; in revenge for which Odin pricked her with a sleep-thorn, and declared that henceforth she should never have victory in battle, and should be given in marriage.  “But I said to him, that I had bound myself by a vow not to espouse any man who could be made to fear.”  Sigurd answers, and implores her to teach him wisdom, as she had intelligence from all regions: 

Sigrdrifa.

5.  Beer I bear to thee, column[69] of battle! with might mingled, and with bright glory:  ’tis full of song, and salutary saws, of potent incantations, and joyous discourses.

6.  Sig-runes thou must know, if victory (sigr) thou wilt have, and on thy sword’s hilt grave them; some on the chapes, some on the guard, and twice name the name of Ty.

7.  Ol-(beer-) runes thou must know, if thou wilt not that another’s wife thy trust betray, if thou in her confide.  On the horn must they be graven, and on the hand’s back, and Naud[70] on the nail be scored.

8.  A cup must be blessed, and against peril guarded, and garlick in the liquor cast:  then I know thou wilt never have mead with treachery mingled.

9.  Biarg- (help-) runes thou must know, if thou wilt help, and loose the child from women.  In the palm they must be graven, and round the joints be clasped, and the Disir prayed for aid.

10.  Brim- (sea-) runes thou must know, if thou wilt have secure afloat thy sailing steeds.  On the prow they must be graven, and on the helm-blade, and with fire to the oar applied.  No surge shall be so towering, nor waves so dark, but from the ocean thou safe shalt come.

11.  Lim- (branch-) runes thou must know, if thou a leech wouldst be, and wounds know how to heal.  On the bark they must be graven, and on the leaves of trees, of those whose boughs bent eastward.

12.  Mal- (speech-) runes thou must know, if thou wilt that no one for injury with hate requite thee.  Those thou must wind, those thou must wrap round, those thou must altogether place in the assembly, where people have into full court to go.

13.  Hug- (thought-) runes thou must know, if thou a wiser man wilt be than every other.  Those interpreted, those graved, those devised Hropt, from the fluid, which had leaked from Heiddraupnir’s head, and from Hoddropnir’s horn.

14.  On a rock he stood, with edged sword, a helm on his head he bore.  Then spake Mim’s head its first wise word, and true sayings uttered.

15.  They are, it said, on the shield graven, which stands before the shining god, on Arvakr’s ear, and on Alsvid’s hoof, on the wheel which rolls under Rognir’s car, on Sleipnir’s teeth, and on the sledge’s bands.