“The warm hospitality of a good host is a priceless treasure, as an impatient guest waits within, not at the door. Treat them with kindness, and fortune may follow.”

An important lesson on the value of Hospitality

Havamal stanza 2 conveys a profound lesson on the significance of genuine hospitality within Norse culture. It vividly portrays the idea that a host's warm reception of guests is a treasure beyond measure.

The metaphor of an "impatient guest" waiting inside rather than at the door underscores the idea that hospitality is not merely a surface-level courtesy; it should be extended with genuine kindness and generosity.

In the context of Norse society, the act of welcoming guests was not just a social convention but a sacred duty. It was believed that by treating guests well, one not only honoured the traditions of hospitality but also invited positive outcomes. This stanza serves as a timeless reminder that the act of hosting, when done with authenticity and goodwill, can lead to meaningful connections and potential opportunities.

SOME KEY THINGS TO KNOW

Hávamál Stanza 2 in Old Norse

Gefendr heilir!

Gestr er inn kominn,

hvar skal sitja sjá?

Mjǫk er bráðr,

sá er á brǫndum skal,

síns um freista frama. 

My English Interpretation of Stanza 2

“The warm hospitality of a good host is a priceless treasure, as an impatient guest waits within, not at the door. Treat them with kindness, and fortune may follow.”

*Take note that this interpretation is not a direct translation from the original Old Norse, rather my own understanding. The core message is, however, true to the original Stanza's emphasis of the importance of good hospitality.

The lesson that Stanza 2 imparts on us

Hávamál stanza 2 teaches us an important lesson about hospitality, specifically the importance of being a good host and making your guests feel comfortable when they come to see you.

Good hospitality is important in all areas of life. If you go to a restaurant, you want to feel welcomed and comfortable by the restaurant staff. If you go to a friends house, you'll feel a lot more comfortable if you dont have to ask for things, and I'll talk more about this in my advice section at the end of this post.

Hospitality in Norse culture

In Norse culture, good hospitality was a revered practice marked by a warm and enthusiastic welcome for guests. Hosts would generously offer the finest food, drink, and comfortable lodgings, creating an atmosphere of respect and courtesy during their stay.

This tradition of reciprocity and gift-giving fostered meaningful connections and ensured that safe passage and guidance were extended to travellers, making hospitality a cherished and honourable aspect of Norse culture.

Our Depiction - Einarr's Journey • Chapter 2

When my artist and I discussed this particular artwork, we were still at the very start of this project, with very little direction as to where it was headed. Since then, we've developed the whole thing into what will be a story of Einarr's Journey across ancient Scandinavia, and then the 9 realms after a huge event in the latter part of the book.

As such, the artworks at the start of the book dont follow a tight narrative as they will in the latter Stanzas. At this stage, Einarr is enjoying the good hospitality of his friends, who have invited him into their lodge for the night. They sat their guest in front of a warm and crackling fire fire, offered him food alongside good council.

Our goal with this is to take something so influential and still relevant even 1000 years after the time in which it was orally spoken, and breathe a new light into it. Many translations of the Hávamál have already been made, with Dr. Jackson Crawford's being my favourite. Our vision is to create a version of that poem thats true to the original, while having a uniquely creative touch which only we can bring to the table.

WHAT YOU CAN TAKE AWAY FROM STANZA 2

Take some time to learn the etiquette of good hospitality

You'd be surprised at just how powerful the law of reciprocity is. I personally believe that hospitality extends past being a good host, but being a good guest as well.

More often than not, being a good guest will reward you, through the rule of reciprocity, with good hospitality from your hosts. An example of this would be the way you handle your table when you go to a restaurant. My philosophy is to make the job of the person serving us as easy as possible. My partner and I stack plates in a way thats easy to carry, and we'll often take cups back up to a bar as we leave, even if they weren't ours.

It all starts with you

When it comes to playing the reciprocity game, I believe that it all starts with you. If you show your guests good hospitality, theres an underlying and unspoken pressure on them to show you the same courtesy.

While this can be taken advantage of by some, it's just the nature of the rule even if you don't intend to put that pressure on someone. Let me ask you, has anyone ever done something nice for you, and you've felt an unspoken need to do something nice for them? Almost like a debt to them? That's the reciprocity rule at play.

When someone comes to your house

When someone comes to your house, they leave the familiarity and comfort of their own home and essentially, if they're a good guest, have to play by your rules. My advice here is very simple:

Make it easy for them.

The first thing you should think of is providing easy access to the necessities. Offer your guest a drink, something to eat, somewhere to put what they're carrying and show them where the bathroom is. If you have rules in your house, such as taking your shoes off when you come in, just make them aware of that without making it a big deal.

If you'd like to take it a step further, prepare some things ahead of time relevant to the reason that they're coming to visit you. If some friends are coming over for a few hours, prepare some food that you know they like. If they're staying for the night, make sure they have a place to sleep, blanket, pillows and a towel to take a shower with. Have I missed something? Feel free to let me know and I'll add it to the post.

When you go to someones house

When you go to someone else's house, it's on them to be a good host. It's on you, however, to be a good guest. My advice is to be as courteous as possible and have respect for their home and their ways of living.

If you keep your shoes on in your house but they don't, respect that without issue and abide by it. Offer to clean up after yourself, but respect and accept their decision to clean up after you, and then offer them the same courtesy when you visit them.

This is nothing new of course, and the majority of people already know this advice, but it's important to keep these traditions alive. Mutually reciprocated hospitality, in my opinion, has a profoundly positive impact on the longevity of your friendships and relationships, and will serve you very well within your life.

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