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Poetic Edda

On the horn thou shalt write,  and the backs of thy hands, And Need shalt mark on thy nails.Thou shalt bless the draught,  and danger escape, And cast a leek in the cup;(For so I know  thou never shalt see Thy mead with evil mixed.)
8. Birth-runes learn,  if help thou wilt lend, The babe from the mother to bring;On thy palms shalt write them,  and round thy joints, And ask the fates to aid.
9.[1] Wave-runes learn,  if well thou wouldst shelter The sail-steeds out on the sea;On the stem shalt thou write,  and the steering-blade, And burn them into the oars;Though high be the breakers,  and black the waves, Thou shalt safe the harbor seek.
10.[2] Branch-runes learn,  if a healer wouldst be, And cure for wounds wouldst work;
  1. ↑ Sail-steeds: ships.
  2. ↑ Branch-runes: runes cut in the bark of trees. Such runes were believed to transfer sickness from the invalid to the tree. Some editors, however, have changed "limrunar" ("branch-runes") to "lifrunar" ("life-runes").

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