By the Sword

Three things never anger or you'll not live for long; A wolf with cubs, A man with power, And a woman's sense of wrong.

Three things trust and cherish well- The horse on which you ride, The beast that guards and watches, And your shield-mate at your side.

Of three things be wary- of a feather on a cat, The shepherd eating mutton, And a guardsman that is fat.

Three things never trust in- The maiden sworn as pure, The vows a king has given, And an ambush that is sure.

Three things see no end- A flower blighted ere it bloomed, A message that was wasted, And a journey that was doomed.

Three things know a secret- First; the lady in a dream, The dog that barks no warning, And a maid that does not scream.

That’s how you tell a merc is dead; he just stops collecting paychecks.