Writings of Minno concerning Laws

In my youth, have I well once grumbled over the strictness of the laws, afterwards, have I often thanked Frya for her Tex and our forbears for the laws which are compiled thereafter.¹

Wralda or Allfather has given me many years, and over many lands and seas have I traveled about and after all which I have seen, am I convinced that we alone through the Allfather, are chosen to have laws.

Lyda’s folk may neither make nor keep laws, they are too dumb and wild thereto.

Many races of Finda’s are clever enough but they are greedy, proud, false, unchaste, and murderous.
Toads may blow themselves up and they may do nothing (other) than creep.⁵
Frogs call work, work, and they do naught but hop and wag.
The ravens cry spare, spare, but they steal and devour all that comes under their beaks.

Like all them is Finda’s folk, they dwell ever upon good laws;
each will make rules to ward off evil, but none will himself be bound thereto.
Of them, the one whose ghost is the most treacherous and thereby strong, crows his cock king, and the others must always be submissive to his will, until another comes who drives him from his seat.¹⁰