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nds of increase: the lowing of a cow in milk; the din of a smithy; the swish of a plough. Three steadinesses of good womanhood: keeping a steady tongue; a steady chastity; a steady housewifery. Three excellences of dress: elegance, comfort, lastingness. Three candles that illume every darkness: truth, nature, knowledge. Three keys that unlock thoughts: drunkenness, trustfulness, love. Three youthful sisters: desire, beauty, generosity. Three aged sisters: groaning, chastity, ugliness. Three nurses of high spirits: pride, wooing, drunkenness. Three coffers whose depth is not known: the coffers of a chieftain, of the Church, of a privileged poet. Three things that ruin wisdom: ignorance, inaccurate knowledge, forgetfulness. Three things that are best for a chief: justice, peace, an army. Three things that are worst for a chief: sloth, treachery, evil counsel. Three services, the worst that a man can serve: serving a bad woman, a bad lord, and bad land. Three lawful handbreadths: a handbreadth between shoes and hose, between ear and hair, and between the fringe of the tunic and the knee. Three angry sisters: blasphemy, strife, foul-mouthedness. Three disrespectful sisters: importunity, frivolity, flightiness. Three signs of a bad man: bitterness, hatred, cowardice. FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS OF KING CORMAC 'O Cormac, grandson of Conn,' said Carbery, 'what are the dues of a chief and of an ale-house?' 'Not hard to tell,' said Cormac. 'Good behaviour around a good chief, Lights to lamps, Exerting oneself for the company, A proper settlement of seats, Liberality of dispensers, A nimble hand at distributing, Attentive service, Music in moderation, Short story-telling, A joyous countenance, Welcome to guests, Silence during recitals, Harmonious choruses.' 'O Cormac, grandson of Conn,' said Carbery, 'what were your habits when you were a lad?' 'Not hard to tell,' said Cormac. 'I was a listener in woods, I was a gazer at stars, I was blind where secrets were concerned, I was silent in a wilderness, I was talkative among many, I was mild in the mead-hall, I was stern in battle, I was gentle towards allies, I was a physician of the sick, I was weak towards the feeble, I was strong towards the powerful, I was not close lest I should be burdensome, I was not arrogant though I was wise, I
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