köld eru kvenna ráð

Icelandic

Alternative forms

• köld eru kvennaráð

Etymology

From the 13th-century Njáls saga, literally "the schemes of women are cold/cruel". Spoken by Flosi to Hildigunnur after she egged him on to avenge Höskuldur's death – she had done so by placing Höskuldur's blood-filled cloak on Flosi.

Proverb

köld eru kvenna ráð

1. women sure can be cold and calculating; women sure can plot cruel schemes

Usage notes

Said to indicate that one is shocked and/or impressed after hearing of a particularly cruel scheme by a woman. A relatively common saying in modern Icelandic (compare for example the English saying hell hath no fury like a woman scorned). The saying does not have disparaging undertones, instead it is more of a cultural reference.