Just considering the first stanza of the Norwegian rune poem. Rather than finding answers listed in books, I tend to prefer to try to interpret or reason theories for myself from the original source material. Let me correct that, I can't read old norse (yet), so I trust in the translations of others. Thank you for those, translators.
First up in the first stanza (naturally). This one deals with Fehu (cattle/wealth).
1. Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen;
the wolf lives in the forest.
Notes:
Something good (wealth) can be the source of something bad (discord)
The wolf (bad/dangerous) lives in the forest (a source of wealth/resources, ergo 'good')
Now my notes here are pretty basic. I am not saying that young vikings were taught this poem purely to help them remember that sometimes bad things come from apparently good circumstances. But perhaps this was intended to dissuade people from the wanton pursuit of wealth for its own sake. Or, perhaps, to encourage people to question the true value of things or consider the ramifications of their actions, no matter how apparently good they appear to be?
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