Courage - The First Virtue
Face challenges and dangers with bravery; cowardice brings shame while courage brings honor.
Courage was essential in Norse society. Not merely physical bravery in battle, but moral courage to speak truth, stand for one's beliefs, and face life's difficulties without flinching. The brave earn Valhalla; the cowardly are forgotten.
Where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.
Courage was the foundation of Norse heroic ethics and the path to eternal fame.
Volsunga Saga
Written about in
- What Norse tradition says about courage
Courage is placed first in the list, and defined to include moral nerve as well as physical: speaking the true thing and standing by a position, not only standing in a line.