“ A magical stave with two distinct uses. One end is a healing stick, which can heal some quite serious diseases, the other half can be used to inflict those diseases on other people.”
“ In this culture it is not wise to talk too much good things about anything - especially children,lest some evil spirit steals it. So it is customary to say it is ugly and weak and will surely not survive. Also:
'The man who boasts of his young woman is a fool,
The man who boasts of his wares will get rich.'”