put rowan twigs on the fire

Meeting now over, thank goodness. Dentist seen and passed - that is, nothing needs doing - so thank even more goodness.

Perhaps tomorrow I can actually get some work done.

Have received copy-edit notes from publisher for The Invisible Library. Time to put book 3 aside for the moment and work on those instead. Who would have thought the old thing had so much red ink in it?

---

The mistress of Northland said:
"How shall lots be cast
about the coming strangers?
O my little wench
put rowan twigs on the fire
the choice wood into the flame!
If it oozes blood
then war is coming;
but if it oozes water
we'll live on in peace."

The tiny wench of the North
the meek serving-maid
stuck rowan twigs on the fire
the choice wood into the flame;
it oozes no blood at all,
not blood, nor water:
it oozed out honey
it was trickling mead.
A crone spoke from a corner
an old hag under a cloak:
"If the wood oozes honey
and is trickling mead
then those strangers arriving
are a great bridal party."

-- The Kalevala, translated by Keith Bosley