Plummer, Bethada Náem nÉrenn I (1922) — Irish text. Translated into modern English.

¹ “Blessed is the man that fears the Lord; in His commandments he shall take great delight” (Ps. 111:1).

² Righteous and valiant, pure-living and perfect is the man upon whom come the fear and dread of the mighty Lord, and who greatly desires to fulfil God’s commandment and teaching, as is related in the canon of the Old and New Testaments. Many indeed of the noble fathers, of the prophets and apostles of the Lord of the elements, have been so described in the Old and New Testaments — being valiant, righteous, perfect, in their desire and craving to fulfil the divine commandments and teaching, and the fear of the Lord perfect in their hearts and minds, without other deliberation save that alone.

³ One then of that special company, pure and valiant in the New Testament, is he whose feast and commemoration falls in this season — namely the sixteenth of the month of June — Brendan son of Findlogh. A head of faith and devotion over the greater part of the world is this holy Brendan — like faithful Abram; a psalm-singer of chief wisdom like David son of Jesse; renowned for wisdom like Solomon son of David; a noble lawgiver like Moses son of Amram; generous and gifted like Cyrinus; famous for eloquence like Augustine; a great universal scholar like Origen; he was a virgin like John, the bosom-fosterling of the Lord; an evangelist like Matthew; a teacher like Paul; a gentle forgiving chief apostle like Peter; a hermit like John the Baptist; an expositor like Gregory of Rome; a wondrous skilful helmsman of sea and land like Noah in the ark — for as Noah raised the ark above the waves of the flood on high, even so did Brendan son of Findlogh raise his monks and his household on high above the fire of doom, without mist or spark or smoke reaching them, through the powers and fair devotion of Brendan son of Findlogh.

⁴ In the time of Aengus son of Nad Fraích, king of Munster, this holy Brendan was born. He was of the Ciarraighe Luachra, namely of the Altraighe of Caille in particular; of a truly free, well-born, devout, faithful family was that man’s father, Findlogh. In this wise were that couple living, under rule and in lawful wedlock by the rule of Bishop Erc. Now Brendan’s mother saw a vision before Brendan was born — namely, that she had her bosom full of pure gold, and that her breasts shone like snow. When that vision was told to Bishop Erc, he said that a wondrous child would be born of her who would be full of the grace of the Holy Spirit — namely Brendan.

⁵ There was a certain very rich man whose dwelling was not far from Findlogh’s house — namely Airdi son of Fidach. The chief prophet of Ireland — Becc mac Dé he was — came to the house of that Airdi mac Fidaig. Then Airdi asked: “What is nearest to us now?” Becc mac Dé said to him: “Your own worthy king shall be born this night between you and the sea; and many kings and rulers shall adore him, and he shall carry them with him to heaven.”

⁶ On that night when Brendan was born, thirty milch-cows with their thirty calves were brought as a gift to Airdi mac Fidhaig; and he was seeking the house in which the little infant had been born; and he found Findlogh’s house, and the infant in it, and he knelt devoutly in his presence, and offered the thirty milch-cows with their thirty calves to him. And that was Brendan’s first alms. Then the farmer took the boy in his hand and said: “This shall be my foster-son for ever,” said he.

From this point to div. 42 below inclusive, the division and numbering of the chapters have been altered in the MS., in some cases more than once. I have restored the original divisions and numbers, as the only way of obtaining a consistent series.

⁷ Now on the night of Brendan’s birth Bishop Erc saw Altraige of Caille beneath one vast flame, as he had never seen it before; and the ministry of angels in clothing pure-white around the land round about. Then Bishop Erc rose early the next day and came to Findlogh’s house and took the boy in his bosom; and he said to him: “O man of God, and O man who shall serve God, receive me to you as a faithful monk; and though many are more joyful at your birth, yet more joyful are my heart and my soul,” said Bishop Erc.

⁸ And his first name from his parents was Mó Bí. It was then that a white drop rained down upon him — of the heavenly elements — which filled the field. Hence it was that Braen-find — that is, Brendan — was his name from that time forth. Find moreover was said to him because he was white in body and in soul alike.

⁹ Then three wethers leaped out of the well in which he was baptised, and those are Brendan’s baptismal debts(?).

¹⁰ Then his family carried him away with them, and he was a year being fostered by them. At the end of a year after that Bishop Erc carried him to his own foster-mother, namely to Íta; and he was a year with Íta. The nun loved him exceedingly, for she used to see the ministry of angels over him, and the grace of the Holy Spirit upon him manifestly. And Brendan used to be continually smiling at the nun whenever he saw her.

¹¹ One day moreover Íta asked him: “What makes you glad, you holy infant?” said she. Then he said: “It is you,” said he, “whom I see speaking with me always, and many virgins innumerable like you, and they fostering me, one after another.” Now it was angels in the forms of virgins that were there.

¹² Then Brendan studied under Bishop Erc for five years; and Íta thought it long to be without him. After that he read his psalms; and Bishop Erc had no milch-cow or milker at that time, for he used not to accept alms from anyone save from a few regular folk. It chanced that Brendan was one day asking for milk from his tutor. “God is able to do that,” said Bishop Erc. Then a wild doe used to come every day from Sliabh Luachra with her fawn, and she was milked for him; and she used to go back alone to the same mountain afterwards.

¹³ It was then that Bríg, daughter of Findlogh, his sister, was with him; and the greatness of her love for him was vast, for the ministry of the angels over her was manifest to him. And he looked upon his tutor’s face and saw it like the ray of a summer sun. 8 March 1629(?) [scribe’s note].

¹⁴ One day as Bishop Erc was going to preach the word of God, Brendan went with him in the chariot. It was then that Brendan was just ten years old. Brendan was left alone in the chariot after the cleric had gone to preach. Brendan sat in the chariot chanting his psalms alone. Then a maiden girl of royal race comes to the chariot. She looked at him and saw his very beautiful countenance. She made a leap at him into the chariot at once, to play a game with him. Then he said: “Go to your house,” said he, “and what has brought you here?” And he took the reins of the chariot in his hand and set about scourging her, until she went weeping to the place where her father and mother were — the king and the queen.

¹⁵ Then Bishop Erc returned and set about reproaching his foster-son greatly, and blaming him sharply for striking the innocent maiden. “I shall do penance for that deed,” said Brendan, “and you shall say it to me.” “Come into this cave until morning,” said Bishop Erc, “and be alone in it until I come to you tomorrow.” Then Brendan sat in the cave, chanting his psalms and his hymns of praise to the Lord therein. Now Bishop Erc stayed beside the cave listening to Brendan without Brendan’s knowledge.

¹⁶ The sound of Brendan’s voice chanting his psalms was heard a mile’s distance on every side. Then moreover the cleric — Bishop Erc — saw bands of angels above to heaven and below to earth above the cave until morning. From that day forth no one was ever able to look upon Brendan’s face, because of the greatness of his divine grace, save Fionán Cam alone, for he was full of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And this is why he could see him above all others.

¹⁷ One day they were journeying on the road — Brendan and Bishop Erc. A single warrior came in their company on the road. Now the enemies who were pursuing him came upon them — seven warriors. Great fear seized him and he said: “They will kill me now,” said he. “Go under the shelter of there standing stone,” said Brendan, “and hold you under its shelter.” He did so, and Brendan raised his hand to God in prayer until the warrior was saved.

¹⁸ Then the enemies came to the pillar-stone and struck the stone in its side(?), and left the stone beheaded, and carried the head away with them in the likeness of the head of their enemy; and that stone still remains in the same place. So it was in that wise that Brendan made a man of the stone, and a stone of the man. “Do penance,” said Bishop Erc to them, “since it is the head of a stone you have, and your own enemy has escaped you entire.” Then they did great penance under Bishop Erc’s rule from that time forth.

¹⁹ Now after Brendan had learned the canon of the Old and New Testaments, he desired to write down and learn the rule of the saints of Ireland. Bishop Erc permitted him to go to learn that rule, for he knew that counsel was of God for him. And Bishop Erc said to him: “Come back to me with those rules, that you may take orders from me.”

²⁰ After he went to converse with his foster-mother — Íta — this is what she said to him first: to learn the rule of the saints of Ireland. And she said to him: “Do not study under women or with virgins; and let it not be forced upon them. Go you,” said she, “and a distinguished, well-born warrior shall meet you on the road.” Now it chanced that this warrior was Mac Lénin.

²¹ Now after Brendan had journeyed, Mac Lénin met him. “Do penance,” said Brendan to him, “for God is calling you, and you shall be a faithful son to Him from this time forth.” Then Colmán mac Lénin turned to the Lord thereafter; and a church was built by him at once.

²² Then Brendan reached the territory of Connacht for the fame of a certain devout man who was in it — namely Iarlaithe son of Logha, son of Treon, son of Féic, son of Mochta; and he learned all his rules from him. It was then that Brendan said to Iarlaithe: “It is not here your resurrection shall be,” said he. Then said Iarlaithe: “O holy son, why do you conceal from us the grace of the Holy Spirit that is manifestly in you, and the innumerable powers of God and of the Lord, hiding them in your innocent mind? you have come to learn of us, and it is I who shall be with you from this time forth,” said Iarlaithe. “Take me moreover into your monkhood for ever,” said Iarlaithe; “but tell me where my resurrection shall be.”

²³ Brendan said to him: “Let a new chariot be made by you,” said he, “for you are an old man; and mount into it upon the road, and in whatever place the two shafts of the chariot shall break, there shall be your resurrection, and many another with you.” Then the old man went into the chariot; and not far had he gone when the shafts of the chariot broke — how short was it between them(?); and the name of that place is Tuaim dá Ghualann.

²⁴ After leaving Iarlaithe there, Brendan went forward into Mag n-Ái. Now an angel met him on the road and said to him: “Write,” said he, “the words of devotion from me.” Brendan wrote from the angel’s mouth all the rules of the holy church, and all those rules still remain.

²⁵ Now while they were travelling through Mag n-Ái they saw a corpse — a dead man in it; and his friends lamenting him. “Trust in the Lord,” said Brendan, “and the man you have shall live.” After he had made prayer, the young man arose, and his people carried him away with great rejoicing. Then everyone set about gazing at Brendan greatly, and carried him to the place where the king of that plain was; and the king offered him land in the place where he wished; and Brendan did not accept that from him, for he did not wish to be in that place.

²⁶ Now after Brendan had written the rule of the saints with their customs and their devotion, he returned again to Bishop Erc, and took orders from him.

²⁷ It was then that he heard in the Gospel: “Whoever shall leave father and mother or sister shall receive an hundredfold in this present world and shall possess life eternal” (Matt. 19:29).

²⁸ After that there grew up in his heart a great love of the Lord, and he desired to leave his land and his country, and his parents and his patrimony. He earnestly besought the Lord to give him a land secret and set apart from men.

²⁹ And it was then that Brendan chanced to be in the place called Léim na Subhaltaighe, and a certain holy man named Barrintus came to visit him — see whether it be Bairrfhionn son of Muiredach’s son, son of Eochaidh, son of Conall Gulban, son of Niall etc. And when Brendan asked many tidings of that man, he let himself down to the ground with sorrow and tears. Brendan lifted him from the ground and said to him, giving him the kiss of peace: “More fitting for you to be of good cheer than sorrowful. And for the sake of God’s passion within you, tell us some of the words of God, and satisfy our souls.”

³⁰ And when they had spoken these words, the warrior began to tell him tidings of a certain island. And this is what he said: “I had a son whose name was M’ernóc, and he fled from me, for he would not be in one place with me. And he found an island near a certain mountain whose name is Sliabh na Cloiche. And a long time after that, when it was revealed to me that he had many monks and that many miracles were manifested through him, I went on a visit to him; and when I had been three days journeying near him, he came with his brethren to meet me, for God had revealed to him my coming to him.

³¹ “And when we had gone toward the island, the brethren came to us out of their cells like a swarm of bees; and though scattered was that dwelling, yet undivided were their converse, their refection and their love. And they had no food but apples and nuts and roots of every kind of herb they could find. And the brethren used to go to their own cells from compline until the cock-crow.

³² “And I and my son went over the island; and after we had made the circuit of the island, he carried me to the strand where the ship was; and he said to me: ‘Beloved father, go into the ship,’ said he, ’that we may go to see the island that is called the Land of the Saints, which God has promised to the people who shall come after us.’ And when we had gone into the ship a fog came upon us, so that we could scarce see the prow of the ship.

³³ “And while we were thus for the space of an hour of the day, a very great light came upon us, and we saw the island — most delightful, most radiant — and it was full of fragrant apples and of blossom; and there was not an herb or tree of them without its full of fruit upon it. And we put the ship to land in the island. And we were for the space of fifteen days walking in it; and we could not find the end of it. And its stones were precious gems. And at the end of the fifteenth day we found a stream through the middle of the island; and we knew not what we should do about crossing the stream. And we remained for the counsel of God.

³⁴ “And as we were coming then, we saw a radiant young man coming to us, and he greeted us in our own proper names, and said: ‘God has revealed this land to you, my beloved brethren. And this is the half of the island; and it is not permitted you to go beyond this — return to the place from where you came.’ And when he had said that, we asked him from what place he had come, or what was his own name.

³⁵ “The young man said: “What makes you ask me? For it were more fitting for you to ask about this island and its tidings than about my tidings; for you see it now without scarcity of fruit or blossom; and it has been so since the beginning of the world. And you need not — nor is there need for you — to consume food or drink, for you have been a year in this land and have not consumed food or drink during that period; and moreover you have not needed sleep or slumber, nor have you had night or any other darkness during that time. For day remains here without darkness, for ever, without end, without limit, since it is our Lord Jesus Christ who is its light and radiance. And if men did not break the commandments of their Lord, they would remain in this delight eternally for ever.”

³⁶ “And when we had heard that, we made great sorrow and earnest penance. And after we had ceased from our sorrow, we began to return toward our ship. And that holy person came with us to the edge of the strand; and when we had gone into our ship, he was taken from our sight, so that we knew not in what place he had gone from us.

³⁷ “And after we had departed in that wise, we passed through that same fog we have spoken of before. And we made no stop or stay until we reached the shore of the island from which we had previously journeyed. And when the brethren saw us, inexpressible joy and gladness seized them on our account at our coming to them; and they set about asking tidings of us for the length of our absence, and this is what they would say: “O holy fathers, why have you forsaken your sheep? — and they without a shepherd over them, but straying in this island. And often has our abbot gone on a circuit of a month, or a fortnight, or a week, or less than that.”

³⁸ “And he began to comfort the brethren. And I said to them then,” said Barrintus: “‘Judge you nothing but assured good, for your way of life is good, and your dwelling is at the door of paradise; and near to you is the island which is called the Promised Land of the Saints. And it is there that night never falls, nor is day ever ended. And M’ernóc — the abbot — goes often into it; and the angels of God keep watch over that island. Did you not perceive by the good odour of our garments that it is paradise we were in?” The brethren said: “Beloved father,” said they, “we knew that it was God’s paradise you were in, from the excellence of the fragrance of your garments; for often before this our own abbot has gone there, and the fragrance of his garments was sustenance to us for forty days.’ ‘And O Brendan,’ said Barrintus, “I remained for a fortnight in that place with my son without food, without drink; and at the end of forty days I returned to my brethren and to my own cell again.’”

³⁹ When Brendan and his brethren heard that, they bowed their heads to the ground and greatly praised God, and said: “Benedictus Deus in donis suis” — that is, blessed be God in His own gifts, and holy is He in all His works; for He revealed to His servants that full store of miracles, and moreover He satisfied us ourselves to-day with bodily sustenance. And when this converse had been made between them, Brendan bade his household come with him to a spiritual repast for it, and to the renewal(?). After the night had passed, and after Barrintus had received Brendan’s blessing, he returned to his own dwelling-place.

⁴⁰ And after he had gone, Brendan gathered fourteen brethren out of his own community to him, and went into a solitary place with them; and it is upon them that there was one being chosen(?), radiant with good works, praising God from the beginning of his age to its end. And whatever infant(?) his deeds — he left his boyish deeds(?); and it is that person whom we have mentioned — Macutes(?). Brendan spoke to the brethren, and this is what he said: “My beloved fellow-soldiers,” said he, “I am asking counsel and comfort of you; for my heart and my thoughts are set on one single will — if it be God’s will — namely, to go to seek the land of which Barrintus spoke to us: the land which God promised to the people who shall come after us. And what is the counsel you will give me on that?”

⁴¹ When the brethren knew Brendan’s will, they all said with one voice: “Beloved father,” said they, “the counsel that is your will is our will and our counsel also. And have we not forsaken our own fathers for you? and have we not also forsaken our inheritance for yourself? And have we not offered our bodies into your hands? And for those reasons we are ready for death or life to be found together with you. But one thing only we ask — to obtain and fulfil for us the will of the holy Father.” Then Brendan and his household finished a fast of forty days and nights to the Lord for their prospering, and for guidance of every path they should tread, to bring it to completion for them.

⁴² Brendan slept then; and he heard the voice of the angel from heaven, and this is what he said: “Arise, O Brendan,” said he, “and the thing you have asked you shall obtain from God — namely, to visit the Land of Promise at last.”

⁴³ Brendan arose then, and his mind was glad at that discourse the angel had spoken. And he goes into a place apart, alone, and looks upon the ocean from him on every side. And he saw a beautiful wondrous island upon the ocean, with the ministry of angels about it. Then Brendan remained in that place a long while — in the island he had seen, and slept a little in it again. The angel of God came to converse with him again; and said to him: “I shall be,” said he, “from henceforth together with you for ever and ever; and I shall teach you at a certain time the fair island you have seen, which is your desire to find.” Then Brendan rejoiced exceedingly with gladness at the angel’s discourse; and he gave thanksgiving to God.

⁴⁴ Brendan arose then with his household, and they leave a blessing with the prior of the monastery we have mentioned before — he who was in Brendan’s place with the brethren after him. And Brendan went then into the western part, and fourteen brethren with him, until he reached the island of the holy father whose name was Enda of Árainn; and he made a stay of three days and three nights in that island. And they left a blessing with holy Enda.

⁴⁵ And then Brendan went with his household into the more remote part of his father’s land. And he wished not to visit his father or his mother, nor to go near them, but went upon the top of a high mountain that was near the sea, where the ship that was theirs was. And the name of that place from that time forth is Suidhe Brenainn — Brendan’s Seat. They said that it was time for them to leave that island; and they went to their ship to strengthen it with iron and with ox-hides; and they put into Brendan’s ship then the equipment of two other ships, of every kind of preparation besides. They smeared with pitch and resin the joints of it, outside and inside.

⁴⁶ And when she was ready, Brendan bade his household to go into her in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He himself remained alone upon the strand after them, and blessed the port on every side of it. And after that Brendan saw three monks of his own household coming to him; and they let their knees fall to the ground in his presence, and this is what they said: “Holy father,” said they, “let us go with you where you yourself go for God’s love, or we shall go to hunger of food and drink; for we have made a vow to be on pilgrimage with you for the length of our lives.”

⁴⁷ When the father — Brendan — saw the distress they were in, he said to them: “Go into the ship, for I know how you have come. One of you has good works, and God has prepared a good place for him; and for you also He has prepared an increase of pain.” Then Brendan went to his ship after these words; and his household went into the two other ships they had. Now Brendan’s ships were thus: three banks of oars on each ship of them, and their sails of the skins of wild beasts and tanned; and there were twenty men in each of their ships.

⁴⁸ It was then that a jester came to Brendan, and knelt in his presence, and this is what he said to him: “O Brendan,” said he, “take me with you for God’s sake, and have pity on my wretchedness that I may go with you.” Brendan carried him with him for God’s sake; and sixty men went with him in his ships, as the writings say:

⁴⁹ Sixty men of them in the fleet;
they were not toilsome on Sunday(?);
their minds upon the dear Creator,
praising the king of the kingdom.

⁵⁰ Then they went upon the ridge of the sea and the great ocean, and they hoisted their sails over the ships until the wind carried them back to the port of Árainn. Pupa and Enda of Árainn and Rónán came to look upon the fleet. He celebrates etcetera.

The Tale of the Island of the Cats(?) — here below #

¹ Brendan took leave of the saints of Árainn, and left a blessing with them; and they sailed westward each straight over the sea, until they saw an island, high, delightful, noble, before them. And they sailed their ships toward it until they reached the edge of the island. And they saw the strand being filled with white-clawed creatures, most horrible, as large as cats. Brendan’s brethren asked: “What do there creatures want?” said they. “To eat you, and to swallow you is their desire,” said Brendan.

² It was then that it was revealed to Brendan the hour of death of the jester who was with them in the ship. So then Brendan said to him: “Arise,” said he, “and receive the body of Christ and His blood, and go to everlasting life, for I hear the choral chant of angels calling you toward them.” The jester was glad at that story; and this is what he said: “O Lord,” said he, “what good have I done that such preparation should be made to bring me to heaven?” Brendan answered him and said that it was fitting for him to fulfil God’s will.

³ Now after he had received the body of Christ and His blood, his soul’s spirit leaped out of him, and it was carried at once with great rejoicing to heaven, where Jesus Christ is with the nine orders of heaven together with it. Then his body was cast upon the strand, and the creatures tore it, until they left only his bare bones on the strand. Brendan’s household buried his bones then; and his name was written in the martyrology, for he was a wondrous martyr. Manifest therein is the Lord’s care, that the sinner who came last to the ship was chosen for heaven first of all.

⁴ Then Brendan’s household hoisted the sails aloft, and it was summer-time at that season. And they got a good swift south wind each at once, so that they had no need to row, only to hold the sails aloft. After they had spent ten days in that wise, the wind took away its noise and its rough roar from them; and when its strength abated they had to row.

⁵ Brendan spoke to them and said: “Be not afraid,” said he, “for our own God is our guide and our helper. And draw in your oars; and do no work nor labour; and God shall guide His own ship and His own household as it pleases Him.” It was then that Brendan and his household took their supper every evening(?). And they got the wind directly; and they knew not still where the wind carried them.

The Tale of the Island of the Bridles #

¹ After they had spent forty days in that manner, and their provisions had failed, they saw a high island, and it was stony and sandy. And when they drew near to the island, this is how it was: it had high banks, and blue streams of pure water flowing from those banks out into the sea; and they found no port by which they might go ashore in the island. And the brethren were troubled and worn out for lack of food and drink. And the brethren coveted to take the waters of those streams into their own vessels and carry them away. Brendan said to them then: “Do not draw draughts of the island’s water, for God will show us after three days a port in which we shall find sustenance for our feeble, ill-guided bodies.”

² After they had gone round that island for the space of three days, they found a port into which one ship could go ashore. Brendan arose and blessed the port before they went ashore. And the rocks were as high walls on every side of it. And when they had gone ashore, Brendan said to his household: “Take none of your garments with you out of the ship.”

³ And as they walked the island then, they saw a little dog coming to meet them, and it did homage beneath Brendan’s feet. Brendan said to his brethren: “Is not this a good messenger God has sent you? Follow it, until it brings you to a dwelling.” And the brethren followed it as Brendan said. And Brendan said to them: “Watch well lest the evil spirit deceive you. And I myself see the tempter urging one of the three brethren who followed us from the monastery to commit theft. And pray earnestly for the soul of the third brother of you(?), for his body is in the devil’s power.” Now that house in which they were was wonderful for its length and breadth, with many vessels covered, and bridles adorned with gold therein.

⁴ And this is what Brendan said then to the cleric who used to be serving them their portion: “Serve us the portion God has sent us.” And when the cleric had arisen quickly, so he found the tables covered with every kind of colour, and bread of unwonted whiteness upon them, together with an abundance of various fish. Then Brendan blessed the table, and said to the brethren: “Do honour and reverence to Almighty God, who gives sustenance of food and drink to all believers.” They sat down to the table then, and praised God greatly, and blessed the drink and the food, and consumed as much of it as sufficed them.

⁵ And after they had taken their supper, Brendan said to them: “Brethren,” said he, “take sleep and quiet, for you are weary after your journeying and your voyaging.” And when they had slept, Brendan saw the evil spirit as a hideous little black boy(?), and a golden bridle in his hand, and he cast it into the bosom of the brother. The brother awoke from his sleep and was praying to God until the next day came; and when the day had come to them, Brendan said to his household: “Let us go to our work, that is, our Hours”; and they went then. And when they had finished their Hours, Brendan said to them: “Let us go to our ship now.” When they had risen from their beds(?), they found the same tables set as was their custom. And they were there in that arrangement for three days and three nights.

⁶ After that Brendan and his household set out upon the road; and he said to his brethren: “Look, beloved friends, whether anyone of you has taken a single article of the property of this island we are in.” They all said: “May Mary not permit us, beloved father, that there should be theft upon our journey.” Brendan said: “There is a gilded bridle under the arm of the brother of whom I spoke to you yester-eve, which the devil gave him in theft.” When the brother heard that, he cast the bridle from him and let it fall in Brendan’s presence, and this is what he said: “Beloved father, I have sinned without doubt; and do you have mercy on me, and pray for my soul, that my soul and my body may not be damned.”

⁷ When the brethren heard that, they fell upon their knees and prayed for the brother’s soul. And as they arose from their prayer they saw the little dark man of the idols(?) falling out of the brother’s bosom, and he making lamentation aloud; and this is what he kept saying: “Why have you driven me out, O cleric, from the inheritance and from the dwelling in which I have been these seven years dwelling?” Brendan answered him and said: “I lay it as a command upon you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, not to hurt or trouble any man until the day of judgement.” The devil departed then.

⁸ Brendan said moreover to the brother: “Receive the body and blood of your Lord — Jesus Christ — and now your soul shall part from your body; and it is in this place that your burial-place is; and the brother who came with you out of the monastery — it is in hell his resurrection shall be after a little while.” Then that brother’s soul departed from him after he had received the sacrament; and angels came to meet him and carried him to heaven. And his body was buried honourably by Brendan and his household.

⁹ And after that they themselves came to the strand where their ship was; and as Brendan was going into his ship, a certain young man met him with a vessel full of bread and another vessel full of water; and he said to them: “Take this gift from the hands of your own servant, for a long road lies before you. And indeed you shall have no lack of bread or water until Easter.” After they had bidden one another farewell they went into their ships; and they were voyaging upon the sea a long while then.

The Island of Sheep #

¹ One day as they were travelling the sea they saw an island at a distance from them. And they sailed their ship to it and went ashore. And when they had gone round the island they found various streams in it, full of fish. Brendan said to his brethren: “Let us do God’s work here, and let us consecrate a harmless lamb to God here; to-day is the Lord’s Supper — of Jesus Christ.” And they remained thus until Easter Saturday(?); and they found a flock of great pure-white sheep there, so that they could scarce see anything of the ground for the abundance of the sheep. Brendan said: “Take with you, brethren, all you need of there flocks for the Easter.” The brethren took a sheep of the flock then. And when they had bound it, the sheep followed them from that time forth.

² And they were preparing for that honoured day of Easter, everything they needed. Then they saw a certain person coming to them, with a vessel full of bread and everything else they needed to consume with it. He set it in Brendan’s presence and cast himself to the ground then, and made earnest penance, and said: “Father, though I am not worthy that you should be fed with the work of my hands, take sustenance in these holy days from me.”

³ And Brendan raised him from the ground and kissed him, and asked him: “Where has our Lord — Jesus Christ — ordained for us to celebrate the Easter?” The holy man answered him and said to him: “Here you shall keep this Saturday and this vigil, and it is upon there island which you see from you now that you shall celebrate the Masses and the Easter.” And having said that, he began to do service to Brendan and to the brethren besides. And they were then loading their ship with everything they needed. And the young man said then to Brendan: “You cannot carry more than this in your ships; and after eight days I shall send you everything you shall need of food and drink until Pentecost.”

⁴ Brendan said to him: “do you know where we shall be after eight days?” The holy man said: “You shall be to-night in there island that you see, and until mid-day tomorrow; and then you shall go to the island that is called the Paradise of the Birds, and you shall be there until the octave of Pentecost.” Brendan said: “What makes there sheep so great? — they being in this island”; for every sheep of them was bigger than a beef-ox. The holy man said: “This is the reason for it — that milk is not gathered from them, nor is their wool taken from them, and neither winter nor darkness comes upon them at all. And for those reasons is that exceeding size upon them, from being ever out on grass. And for that reason they are bigger here than in every other land in the world.”

The Paradise of the Birds and the Monastery of St Ailbe #

¹ Brendan put his ship from land then, and he and his household embarked, until they reached the Paradise of the Birds. And when they reached that island they went ashore in it. Here have been omitted by the scribe’s error the things which in the Latin Life are narrated, from Brendan’s entry into the Paradise of Birds as far as the entry of the island of St Ailbe’s community. And it was wondrous to see it, for there were many various fruits therein, and a wondrous bird-flock speaking joyfully from the tops of its trees, and little bees gathering and collecting their tribute and their dues to their own dwellings; and beautiful wondrous streams springing up there full of precious gems of every hue; and many churches there; and a monastery in the middle of the island full of variety and diversity of every colour; and an ancient, artistic, wise, devout order therein.

² And this is how that monastery was — with its own light kindled in it: four lights in the presence of the great altar, and three lights in the presence of the middle altar. And the Mass cructs they had were made of crystal. And there were also fourteen seats opposite each other in the choir, and the abbot’s place in the middle between them; and when the abbot began to chant a verse, the choir used to answer him humbly; and none of them dared take up a single verse save the abbot himself, and none of them used to speak without leave, save when they were praising the Lord, unless the abbot permitted them; and even then they used not to speak by word, but by a resonant sign shown by eye or mouth or hand, to indicate what they wished to say. And the abbot used to write on a tablet with a stylus every answer he gave them.

³ And the abbot said to Brendan then: “It were time for us to go to the sleeping-house we have.” And after that they went to compline. And when they had sung compline, the brethren went to their own cells, and took Brendan’s household with them — a man with each brother of them.

⁴ And Brendan and the abbot stayed in the monastery. And when they were there, Brendan asked the abbot how they could maintain that silence or quietness in human flesh. The abbot answered him with humility and said: “I confess in Christ’s presence that it is eighty years since we came into this place, and none of us has spoken to another with a human voice, save when we are praising God; and it is by signs of finger or eye that speech is expressed among us. And moreover, neither sickness of body nor of soul nor of spirit has been upon any of us during that time.”

⁵ When Brendan heard that, he spoke with tears and said: “Is it permitted us to stay here a year?” The abbot said: “It is indeed permitted. And do you not know what has been ordained for yourself to do before you cam here? For you must return to your own place with your fourteen brethren; and of the other two that are with you after that — one of them shall go on his pilgrimage to the island that is called Antonii(?), and the other of them an evil death, for he shall be damned to hell.” And all that was fulfilled.

⁶ Brendan asked: “Who extinguishes there lights at the approach of morning?” The abbot said: “See for yourself, O Brendan, every thing of them according to your own knowledge and acquaintance. And do you not see the lights in the lanterns, and nothing burning of them, nor they themselves being consumed? And they shall be so until morning; and none shall see any remnant of them from the day’s beginning until they come as fiery vessels through there window, as they come habitually.” Brendan said: “How can an incorporeal creature make a corporeal light?” The abbot answered him and said: “have you not heard, and have you not read, of the bush that was aflame upon Mount Sinai through the night-season, and there was no diminishing or lack upon it the next day?”

⁷ And they remained thus until morning. And Brendan then asked leave to depart; and he obtained it not from the saint, but he said: “you must stay with us until we keep the Christmas that is near us, and until you make common festival with us to the octave of the Epiphany.” Brendan stayed with his brethren during that season in the island that is called Ailbe’s. When Brendan had fulfilled that season, he took leave of the abbot and of the brethren who were there, and went to his ship, and they were sailing the sea until the beginning of the Lent that was before them.

The Tale of the Island of the Mingled Water — here below #

¹ One day as they were journeying over the azure-faced deep, they saw an island at a distance from them; and they began to go toward it joyfully, for they had not seen an island for a long period of time until then; and their provisions of three days had been exhausted before that. And they went ashore in the island, and found a crystal-clear well there, and an abundance of every other herb, and many kinds of fish swimming and moving in the stream that used to spring from that well toward the sea. Brendan said: “Certainly,” said he, “God has given you solace after your labour; and take all you need of the fish, and gather many herbs, as many as you will.” The brethren set about drinking the water of the river where it welled up(?), and gathering herbs as their master had told them.

² This is what Brendan said to them: “Take heed, brethren, that you drink not too much of the water, lest it should trouble you more than you are.” And the brethren did not keep to their father’s command, but drank abundantly — for one man of them drank two draughts, and another three draughts, and the third portion one draught. And this is how it was settled by that drinking: a company of them fell into a sleep and heavy stupor of three days and three nights, and a sleep of two days and two nights upon another company of them; a sleep and heavy stupor of a day and a night upon the third portion. Then Brendan was praying to his Lord for protection on behalf of his household, for it was in ignorance that this peril befell them.

³ And when that time had passed over them, Brendan said to his household: “Since God has given us sustenance, and you have brought a lack upon us(?) by it, let us go now out of this island, and take with you all you will of the fish and of the water for the space of three days and three nights.” And they did as Brendan told them, and filled the ship with the things the father had told them. And then they set out upon the sea-ridge, and a great tempest was sent upon them. At the end of three days and three nights after they had left the island we have spoken of, the storm and the bad weather ceased, and the sea grew calm for them, and Brendan said to them: “Let your crew into the ship, until God sail us to the place where He Himself wills.” And they were thus for the space of twenty days and twenty nights.

The Procurator’s Teaching to Brendan here; and the Finding of the Paradise of the Birds the second time #

¹ Then they saw an island far from them, and Brendan asked his household: “Do you recognise there island we now see?” said he. “We do not recognise it,” said they. “Not so with me,” said Brendan; “that is the island in which we were on the day of the Lord’s Supper last year; and it is there that the procurator is with whom we were.” When the brethren heard that saying, they rowed furiously.

² And Brendan said to them: “Trouble not and break not your limbs; and is it not God who is our steersman and sailor — wherever it please Him, He will put us there.” And they did as Brendan told them; for they let the ship go at its own will, and God sailed them toward that island of the procurator. And when they had gone ashore there, the procurator came to them with much manifold joy; and he kissed the feet of Brendan and of the rest of the brethren, and set about praising the Lord greatly. And when that praise had ceased, he quickly prepared a bath for them, for it was the (Lord’s) Supper they had at that time. And he put new garments upon them all, and they celebrated the Lord’s Pasch there until Easter Saturday.

³ And when they had said the service on Saturday, the procurator said to Brendan: “Go into your ship, and keep the Easter as you did keep it last year. And from Easter onward go to the Paradise of the Birds, and take your need of food and drink with you. And I shall make a visit to you on the second Sunday that shall come to you.” The brethren went at that bidding to the island in which they had kept the Easter the year before.

⁴ And they went from there to the Paradise of the Birds, and made their dwelling there until the octave of Pentecost. And the procurator came to them as he had promised; and he brought with him everything that was needful to them; and they made great rejoicing with one another, as was their custom.

⁵ And when they had gone to the table, a bird came then upon the prow of the ship, and made a most sweet music like an organ with its wings, striking them against the sides of the ship. And Brendan knew that it was telling tidings; and the bird said: “Four seasons have been ordained for you during your voyage: the Lord’s Supper with the procurator, and the Easter on the back of the great beast, and from Easter to Pentecost with us, and Christmas in the island of Ailbe until the feast of Mary of the Candles comes. And at the end of the seventh year you shall be brought to the land you are seeking, and you shall be forty days there; and after that you shall be brought to your own land.” When Brendan heard that he bowed to the ground and made sorrow and penance, and gave praise and thanks to God and to the Creator of all. The bird then returned to its own place, when all these things had been accomplished for them.

⁶ The procurator said: “I shall go from you now, and shall come to you again with the things you shall need, as the holy Procurator came to the apostles formerly.” The procurator departed then, after leaving a blessing with Brendan and with all the rest; and Brendan remained in that place for the length of the time that had been ordained for him. And when that season was fulfilled, Brendan took to the road and put his ship from land, and he saw the procurator coming to him with a ship full of food, and he gave that to Brendan; and he himself returned thereafter into the way from which he had come. And Brendan was thus upon the sea for the space of forty days and forty nights.

The Celebration of Easter upon the Back of the Great Whale #

¹ Now when Easter drew near, his household were telling Brendan to go ashore to celebrate Easter. “God is able,” said Brendan, “to find land for us in every place where He wills.” Then when Easter came, a great sea-monster raised its shoulders aloft above the ridge of the waves until it was dry land. And they go then upon the land, and celebrate Easter there then. And they were in that place one day and two nights. After they had gone into their ships, the whale plunged under the sea at once. Now it was in that wise that they used to celebrate Easter for seven years upon the back of the sea-whale; for when Easter drew near each year it used to raise its back above the sea until it was convenient dry land.

The Saving of Brendan’s Voyage from the Whirlpools here #

¹ Once upon a time when they were upon the wondrous azure ocean they saw the deep eddying currents and the vast black whirlpools. And then the ships were in worst case to be swallowed by the greatness of the fury. Every one of them then set about gazing into Brendan’s face, for great was the peril in which they were. Brendan raised his voice aloft and said: “It is enough, O great sea, that I alone should be drowned; let this people go from you.” Then the sea grew calm at once, and the boiling of the whirlpools subsided; and from that time forth they did no hurt to any other.

The Devil’s Visit upon Brendan’s Ship — to whom he revealed the Pains of Hell #

¹ One day as they were upon the sea, the devil came in a hideous old form, and sat upon the sail in Brendan’s presence; and none of them saw him save Brendan alone. Then Brendan asked the devil why he had come before his proper time — that is, before the time of the great resurrection, the day of doom. The devil said at once: “It is for this I have come,” said he, “to ask for my pains in the depths of this black-dark sea.” Then Brendan asked him: “And why — where is that hellish place?” “Sad it is,” said the devil, “that none can tell it and live thereafter.” So however the devil revealed the gate of hell to Brendan, until he saw its pains and its hardships.

² Then his household asked the holy monk: “With whom were you conversing?” said they. Brendan tells them what he had seen, and tells them a little of the pains he had seen, as we have said, and as it is found in the scriptures of the Old Testament. Then one of his household said to Brendan: “Let me see somewhat of those pains.” When he had been permitted to see the many pains of hell, he was dead at once, and this is what he said as he died: “Woe, woe,” said he, “who has come and who shall come and who comes into this prison.” Then Brendan made prayer, and revived that man of his household who had been dead.

The Tale of the Dead Maiden — here now #

¹ Not far had they gone from there when they found a maiden — gentle, youthful, golden-haired, whiter than snow or the foam of the wave — and she dead, having been given a spear-blow through her shoulders so that it went between her two breasts. Now the size of that maiden was vast: a hundred feet in her height, and nine feet between her two breasts, four feet in the length of her nose, and seven feet in the length of her middle finger. Then Brendan revived her, and she was baptised at once. Then they asked her of her race. She said: “Of the dwellers in the sea am I,” said she, “of the folk who swim(?), and pray that a resurrection may come to them(?).” Brendan asked her what she wished — “to go to heaven at once, or to your fatherland?” She answered then in a tongue which none other understood save Brendan, and this is what she said: “To heaven indeed,” said she, “for I hear the voices of the angels praising the mighty Lord.” Now after she had received the body of Christ and His blood, she died there without any trouble, and she was buried honourably by Brendan.

The Finding of the Crystal Tablet on which was the Writing here #

¹ One day again as they were upon the sea, rowing prosperously, they saw a beautiful island, and it high; yet they found no convenient port by which to approach it. His household told Brendan to stay a week around it. They stayed, and could not go into it during that time. Now they heard the voices of men within it praising the Lord, and they saw a beautiful noble church therein. When they had heard the sound of the voices of the island’s people, Brendan and his household slept a spiritual sleep.

² Since they were not let go toward the island, a crystal tablet was let down to them, and it was written; and this is what was on it: “Do not labour to enter this island, for you shall never come into it. But the island you seek, you shall find; and this is not it. Go to your own land, O Brendan, for many are asking for you there, who desire to see you. And understand the holy scriptures, to which it is said: mansiones Dei multae sunt — the mansions of God are many.” As though it were saying: Many are the places and dwellings with the Lord besides the island or this island(?). Then he turned from that island; and they carry with them there crystal tablet as a token of joy and gladness that the people of the island had given them; and it used to be read by them every day, as though it had been given them by God.

The Devil’s Deception of Brendan’s Household in the Place of Thirst here #

¹ One day as they were upon the sea rowing, a great thirst seized them so that death seemed near to them. Then they saw the beautiful water-streams springing and flowing out of the rocks. The brethren asked: “Shall we not drink some of there water?” said they. “Bless it first,” said Brendan, “to know what it is.” Now when the water had been blessed, and alleluia sung over it, those streams dried up then at once; and then they saw a devil fleeing away, who would have killed the folk who would have drunk it. Now Brendan’s household were saved through Brendan’s powers, and their thirst was quenched at once.

² That place is forbidden to the devil, so that he has done no evil to any man from that time forth.

Brendan’s Return from his First Voyage to Ireland here #

¹ Now after Brendan had been five years upon that voyage, he returned again to his own land and country, as had been commanded him in the island we have mentioned. Then the people of his own land and country came to meet him; and they asked him what fortune his ships had had; and they gave him wealth and gifts as they would give to God. Now after many of them had left the world, they followed Christ thereafter. And he wrought many miracles and wonders there, and used to heal folk of sickness and bondage, and used to drive out demons and evil spirits. He then conversed with Bishop Erc — his tutor.

² Then he came to the place where his foster-mother was — Íta — and asked her what he should do concerning his voyage. Íta made him welcome, as she would sing to Christ with His apostles, and this is what she said to him: “Beloved son, why did you go on pilgrimage without counsel from me? For the land you seek from God you shall not find upon those dead hacked hides, for it is a holy consecrated land, and no man’s blood has ever been shed in it. Nevertheless let wooden ships be made by you. It is likely that in that wise you shall find that land.” Then Brendan went into the territory of Connacht, and a wondrous great ship was made by him; and he went into it with his household and his people; and various herbs and seeds were taken with them to sow in it, and wrights and smiths after Brendan’s entreaty, to let them go with him.

The Second Voyage now #

¹ Then Brendan went with his household upon the sea-ridge and the great ocean backwards again(?). Not long were they at that rowing when a sudden sickness came upon the smith who was with them, so that death was near him. Brendan said to him: “Why do you wonder?” said he; “go to the heavenly kingdom as you have prepared for yourself until to-day; or, if you would remain in life longer, I shall make prayer for you to God, and you shall be whole.” The smith said: “I hear the voice of the Lord calling me.”

² Now after he had received the body of Christ and His blood and His flesh he went to heaven. Now there was a great question among the brethren where the body should be buried, for there was no land or earth near them. Then Brendan told them to bury it in the waves of the sea, “for He who made heaven and earth and the other elements is able to hold a body in the waves of the sea without change.” So the smith was buried between the waves of the sea, without reaching land and without floating upon the surface of the brine, without being moved here or there, as though it were in the earth; as he said:

³ They buried him, though great the wonder,
the smith in the ocean;
between the waves of the briny sea,
without reaching beneath the wave-surge.

The Tale of the Island of the Dwarfs here #

¹ Now after they had left that place they saw a little miserable land near them. And when they had taken to that place(?), the harbour was filled for them with demons in the shapes of dwarfs and leprechauns, and their faces as black as coal. Then Brendan said: “Put out the anchor, for none can go into this land save one who shall fight a human battle against demons and shed blood over them(?).” They were there for the space of seven days and seven nights; and they could not draw up their anchor, and they left it there among the rocks trailing, and they departed then out of the harbour.

² Now they were in great hardship for lack of their anchor, and the smith whom they used to have was lost to them. Then Brendan said to a priest of his household: “Do you,” said he, “the smith’s work for a month for us(?).” So Brendan blessed the priest’s hands, for he had never learned smith-craft. Then the priest made a wondrous anchor, and its like was never found before in the excellence of its making(?).

The Tale of the Brother who was carried off from Brendan here #

¹ Another day as Brendan was travelling the sea, he saw a great hellish mountain; and this is how it was — full of clouds and smoke above its summit. And the wind carried them with a violent course to the strand of the island on which the mountain was, so that the ship came near to land. And this is how the brink of that island was — of hideous height, so that they could scarce see it(?). And it was full of thorns and red flames(?), and it was like a wall.

² And a man of the three brethren who had followed Brendan out of the monastery went out of the ship, and went to the edge of the shore, and he was not long there when he cried aloud and wretchedly and said: “Woe is me, father, for I am being carried away from you, and I have no power to return to you.” And when the brethren saw that, great fear seized them, and they put the ship out and called for mercy upon the heavenly Lord, and this is what they said: “Miserere nobis, Domine; miserere nobis, Domine” — O Lord have mercy on us, have mercy on us.

³ Then Brendan looked at him and saw a multitude of demons about him, burning him among them; and he said: “Woe to you, wretched unhappy one — the lot you have drawn upon yourself, and for your life,” and etcetera. And after that the wind carried them from it, and they passed into the southern region. And they looked behind them at the island, and this is how they saw it — ablaze, and casting its flames into the air and again drawing flames toward it, so that the mountain was one entire ball of fire.

The Tale of Judas now; and before it comes the tale of Aed Guaire’s deliverance [the scribe’s misplaced heading] #

¹ One day as Brendan was travelling the sea, after leaving that island where the brother had been carried off from him, he saw a spectre far from him upon the sea; and when they drew near it, some of the brethren thought it was a man upon a rock; and others of them said it was not, but that it was a bird. Brendan said: “Cease your contention, and bring the ship near to it, that we may know what is there.” When they had come near it they saw the form of a man sitting upon a stone there, and the likeness of a cloth or other garment aloft upon two iron prongs before him; and thus he was being tormented between the waves, the cloth striking him upon his eyes; and at another time it was being cast from the rock(?), and at the next being cast upon him again.

² Brendan asked him: “Why have these torments been laid upon you? Or who are you?” He said to him: “I am the evil merchant,” said he, “Judas; and it was I who sold the Lord Jesus Christ into the hands of the Jews; and it is not for reward that I have this place, but for the Lord’s mercy — and in honour of the Resurrection I have this benefit; and there is no relief for me until the day of doom, but to be thus. And to me it is as if I were in Paradise, to be thus, in comparison with where I used to be in its absence — and as I was melted this night upon the fiery mountain you have seen, where Leviathan is and his companions, where the brother who was carried off from you is.”

³ “They come to me there(?), and I am melted like lead in an earthen crucible; and I used to be with them when the brother came to them, and they laughed greatly at sight of him for joy — and thus they do whenever an unmerciful soul comes to them. And that you may know God’s mercy, I tell you now that I have a great benefit every Sunday — from vespers on Saturday to vespers on Sunday night(?), and from Christmas to Epiphany, and from Easter to Pentecost, and in all the feasts of Mary. And every other day besides I am crucified and tormented with Pilate and with Caiaphas and with Annas in hell; and I pray you to pray on my behalf that I may be left thus until sunrise tomorrow.”

⁴ Brendan said: “you shall not be taken from there until morning.” And Brendan asked him again: “What is that cloth that keeps striking against your eyes?” “A cloth I gave to a poor man belonging to my Lord when I was His chamberlain; and since it was not my own, it now goes to my hurt and not to my benefit. And this stone on which you see me sitting — it is a stone I placed upon a common road when I was in the world, before I was a disciple of the Lord.”

⁵ When the hour of vespers came to them, they saw a vast great host of demons coming toward it(?), and they said: “Leave that now, servant of God, and know that we cannot go to our companion as long as you are near him; and it is not in our power to see our lord until we bring him his friend. And give us our own portion to-night, and take no more of it from us(?).” This is what Brendan said: “It is not I who keep him to-night. But our Lord Jesus Christ has permitted him to be to-night as he is.” The most perfect of the demons said: “Why do you call upon the Lord’s name on behalf of there man — since it was he who betrayed the Lord to cross and passion?”

⁶ Brendan said: “I lay it as a command upon you, in the name of Christ, not to inflict pain or hurt upon him to-night.” The demons departed from him at that; and when day came to them and Brendan was going, the doors of hell were opened, and countless hosts of demons came out of it, and they spoke with loud terrible voices, and this is what they said: “O servant of God, accursed is your journey toward us, since you have dishonoured our own lord, so that we have not shown him his own faithful servant until now(?).” Brendan said: “Your curse shall go into blessing from me; for whomever you curse shall be blessed, and whomever you bless shall be accursed.”

⁷ The demons said: “We shall torment him twofold this week, because he went with you yester-eve.” Brendan said: “You have no power over him yourselves, nor has your lord, save God Almighty. And I lay it as a command upon you in God’s name, and upon your lord, not to give him pain now beyond what you have ever given him before.” The droll(?)-skilled demon they had said: “are you the lord of all?” “I am,” said Brendan, “a servant of the Lord Almighty, and what I command from His presence shall be done at my will(?).” And when they had spoken these words they lifted him into the air with a very great outcry. And nevertheless they had to fulfil Brendan’s command.

The Tale of the Island of Paul the Hermit here #

¹ One day when Brendan and his household were travelling the deep, they saw an island far from them; and when the brethren saw it they sailed their ship toward it swiftly. And Brendan said to them: “Put not your labour beyond measure, for it is seven years since we left our own land until this Easter upon which we are; and you shall see now shortly a hermit in this island whose name is Paul, who has had no sustenance of bodily food or drink for the space of sixty years, but a life of twenty years granted to him by a certain beast(?).”

² When they came near the strand, they could not go into the island for its height; and its brink was a difficult height, and the island itself was small and round from that point; and there was no earth upon its summit but bare rock of stone; and its measure in height and in breadth was the same. And when they had gone round the island they found a narrow way in the brink, so that the prow of the ship scarce found room in it(?). And it was harder than that to go up into it. And Brendan said to the brethren: “Stay here until I come back to you, for it is not permitted you to go into this island without leave of the faithful servant of God who is in it.”

³ And when Brendan had come to the top of the island he saw the two caves opposite each other; and he saw little springs flowing from the rock in front of the cave. And when Brendan went to the door of the cave he saw an aged man coming to him out of the other cave; and he said: “Ecce quam bonum et iocundum habitare fratres in unum” — that is, it is manifest how good it is that brethren should come into one place. And when he had said that, he bade Brendan call the brethren out of the ship.

⁴ When Brendan had done that, the servant of God kissed them all and greeted them in their own proper names. And the brethren had great wonder at the attire of the holy man; for he had no clothing upon him save the hair of his head and his beard, and the hair of his whole body besides — and this is how that hair was: snow was not whiter than it, through the holiness of the holy man. Now Brendan said, sorrowing and sighing: “Sad it is for me,” said he, “to be a sinner, with a monk’s habit about me, and many other monks besides in the same habit — and a fair angelic warrior sits here in naked flesh, yet unassailed by the lusts of the flesh.”

⁵ The servant of God — Paul — said to Brendan: “O honoured father, the wonders that have been revealed to you are more innumerable than have been revealed to any holy father who came before you; and you say in your heart that you are not worthy to wear a monk’s habit; but I say to you, father, that you are more than a monk who is nourished and sustained by the labour of his own hands. God has fed and clothed you and the monks for the space of seven years by His own secret.”

⁶ Brendan asked Paul how he had come into the island or that place, or in what dwelling he had been before, or how long he had endured that life. Paul answered him and said: “Father, I was reared in Patrick’s monastery for the space of fifty years, keeping the brethren’s cemetery. And I asked my dean(?) that a burial-place be marked out for a person I was to bury. And when it had been marked out for me, an aged unknown man came to me and this is what he said to me: ‘Do not dig there, brother, for it is another man’s grave that is there.” I said to him: “Who are you, father?” “Why do you not know me? — seeing I am abbot to you.” I said to him: “Not so — it is Patrick who is abbot to me.” “I am he,” said he, “and yesterday I went from this world. And this is the place of burial for you(?)’(?)”

⁷ “‘And when he had said that, he marked out another place for me then, and said: “Bury your brother here, and tell no other man what I have said to you. And go tomorrow to the sea, and you shall find a ship there which shall carry you to the place where you shall stay until the day of your death.’” When the next day’s morning had come, I journeyed to the sea according to the father’s command; and I found as had been promised me there; and when I had gone into the ship I made a voyage of three days and three nights, and I stopped then, and let the ship go where the wind would sail it to come ashore. And on the seventh day after that I found this rock, and the ship went ashore in it. And when I had left the ship it turned quickly back again to its own land; and I have been here from that day until to-day.

⁸ “‘And the first day I came here the beast whose name is ’the swift one’(?) came to me, and brought me fish, and firewood to make a fire between its two fore-feet(?), it walking upon its hind feet; and when it had put that in my presence it turned back to its own place. And after it had gone I struck fire, and made a blaze with the firewood that had been left with me, and dressed the fish, and ate it as sufficed me. And that same messenger used to come to me every third day with that food. And I was so for thirty years without lack of food or drink. And a stream of water used to flow from the rock to me every Sunday, from which I washed my hands, and from which I drank drink to quench my thirst.’

⁹ “‘And after that I found these two caves, and the springs, and they are my life without the substance of other food for the space of sixty years, and I am a nonagenarian upon this island — thirty years on the fish’s sustenance, and sixty years on the spring’s sustenance, and forty years I was in my own country(?); and all my years are, that is, a hundred and forty years until to-day; and I am awaiting thus, in human flesh, the day of my judgement.’”

¹⁰ After that the holy elder said: “Set out upon the road, O Brendan; and take with you some of the spring’s water in your vessels, for a long road lies before you — a journey of forty days until Easter Saturday. And this Easter you shall keep as you have kept it these other seven years; and after that you shall go to a land holier than every other land, and you shall be there for the space of another forty days. And after that God shall bring you safe to the land of your birth.”

¹¹ Then Brendan took leave of the servant of God after that converse; and they leave a blessing with him, and departed in peace, and sailed their ship toward the southern quarter, and were thus during the Lent. And the ship was borne here and there over the ocean; and they had no food but the water they had brought from the island of the servant of God. And they were joyful, without thirst, without hunger, for the space of three days(?), until they reached the island of the procurator on Easter Saturday thereafter.

¹² And when the procurator saw them he came to meet them with joy and great manifold gladness to the port. And he took each man’s hand in his own hand as they came out of the ship. And when they had finished the Saturday office, the procurator brought their supper to them; and when night had come upon them they went into the same ship, and the procurator with them. And they found the great beast in the place where it used to be, and they sang God’s praise that night, and said the Masses in the morning.

¹³ And when they had finished the Masses, the great beast went with his own snouts(?), and all of them standing upon his back. When the brethren saw that, they all called for mercy and this is what they kept saying: “Exaudi nos, Deus salutaris noster” — Hear us, O God our saviour. Now Brendan was comforting them lest they should be afraid. The great beast came forward directly until it reached the strand of the island whose name was Inis na n-Én — the Island of the Birds; and it put them all ashore there without hurt. And they made their dwelling in that place until the octave of Pentecost.

¹⁴ And when the feast of Pentecost had passed over them, the procurator said to Brendan: “Go into your ship now, and fill your bottles from the well; and I myself shall be with you as your guide, for you cannot find the land you are seeking unless I am with you.”

The Tale of the Column, and the Finding of the Mass-Chalice here #

¹ One day when Brendan had said Mass in his ship, he himself with his household saw a great column(?) from them in the sea. They themselves thought it near them, but it was three days’ journey off(?) — a thing beside them(?). When they had come near to it, it was seen by them that it was of so great a height that its top was near the firmament, and it all of the colour of crystal from summit to base; and it had the likeness of a great palisade(?) about it on every side, of the colour of silver or glass(?). And there was such fineness in it that each could see everything through it, outside and inside; and it was harder than glass; and it was full of great doors so that a boat or a little ship could go through each door of them. And Brendan told his household to lower the mast and the sail, and to draw in their oars, and to sail their ship in through one of those doors. And that was done.

² And there was the likeness of a mile of sea from that palisade on every side until one reached the column. They went beneath its base, and were the length of a day walking beside one quarter of it(?). And when they had gone round it all thus, they found on the fourth day a Mass-chalice in a niche in the side of the column. Brendan took that gift to him as a token; and Brendan bade the monks to praise the Creator, since He had put no lack of food or drink upon them beyond the amount of solace they had found in the column(?). And on the fifth day they departed out through the same door, and hoisted their sails over their masts, and set off thereafter.

The Tale of the Island of the Infernal Smithy #

¹ Another day as Brendan was travelling the sea he saw an island near him — and it ugly, dark, mountainous, rocky, rough-headed, without trees, without herbs therein; but full of houses like smithies(?). When the holy father — Brendan — saw that, he said to his brethren about that time: “Beloved brethren,” said he, “that island is dreadful to me for you, for my will is not to go into it if we could avoid it, for the wind is directly sailing us toward it.”

² And they were no farther than a small stone’s cast from it at that time when they heard the thunder-noise of the bellows being blown, and the smiting of the sledges striking the anvils(?). Great fear seized them, and the holy father raised his hand and set the sign of the holy cross about himself to the four quarters, and said: “O Lord, O Jesus Christ, deliver us from the people of this island.” After that they saw two black-ugly coal-coloured smiths coming out of the smithies as though going to do some work.

³ And when they saw God’s household they turned back within into the smithies, and took with them two masses of wrought(?) iron red-blazing in tongs in their hands; and they ran eagerly to the strand and cast them at the ship; and it did them no hurt, as God willed not, for they went above it over the ship a long distance. After that God sailed the wind behind Brendan’s people to the side of the island. And a grisly countless diabolical host rose out of the same smithies, with fiery masses in tongs with them to cast at them. And wherever those masses touched the sea, there was a great boiling high above it, as though a cauldron or a pot were beneath it with a vast fire under it(?).

⁴ And when they could do them no hurt, they returned to the smithies; and they set them all ablaze with red flame, and set about casting those red masses at one another. And the cries and lamentations they made could be heard from them farther than the range of sight. And it is in that wise that God delivered His own people from the devil’s people, for it is manifest that they were all of the household of hell. And Brendan told his household to be of good courage and steadfast faith, and to give thanks to God and to His angels; and they did as the holy father — Brendan — told them.

The Combat of the Two Sea-Beasts for Brendan and his Household #

¹ One day as Brendan and his household were travelling the sea, they saw the vast terrible fish coming toward them, spouting the waves on every side of it in haste toward the ship to swallow it. When the brethren saw that they called for mercy upon the heavenly Lord, and this is what they said: “O Lord who have made man and the elements, save us.” And they set about beseeching Brendan likewise. Brendan said: “O Lord who have made man and the elements, save us, and save Your own household from there terrible monster.” And he said moreover: “Brethren, be not afraid; and little is your striving(?), for He who has saved us from every peril and the man who ever protects us will save us from the mouth of there monster.”

² And the monster came before the ship and went up above them(?). When Brendan saw that, he came to the fore of the ship and raised his hands to heaven and spoke these words: “Domine, libera nos” etcetera — that is, “O Lord, deliver Your people, as you did deliver David from the hands of Goliath, and Jonah from the belly of the great whale.” And when that prayer was finished by him, they saw its counterpart(?), the shooting(?) of another beast out of the western quarter, coming to meet the first monster. And when it had come into its presence it let loose a fiery dart out of its throat. And battle was joined by it against the first monster.

³ When Brendan saw that, he said to the brethren: “Do you see, beloved monks, the Lord’s wonders, and the submission the creature gives to the Creator?” And when he had said that to them, they saw the monster that had pursued Brendan rising in its three pieces upon the surface of the sea; and the monster that had done those deeds returned to the place from which it had come, after the victory of triumph.

The Finding of the Great Beast as Carrion for Brendan and his Household here #

¹ Another day as Brendan and his household were travelling the dreadful sea they saw a very beautiful and various island, full of roots and sweet-smelling herbs; and when they had gone ashore they saw the hinder half of the great beast upon the strand in their presence. And Brendan said: “Beloved brethren,” said he, “there is the one that would have wrought your death and your swallowing; and do swallow him now, and eat your fill of his flesh. And you shall be a long time on this island — draw your ship ashore, and find a fitting place for it.” And when they had done that, Brendan said to them: “Take some of the great beast with you — it will serve you for a month(?); for the rest of it will be devoured by the beasts of the ocean this very night.”

² The brethren took the flesh with them as Brendan had told them. And they said again to Brendan: “O lord and holy father, how can we get water in this island?” Brendan said: “It is not easier for God to give us sustenance of food than of water. But,” said Brendan, “come into the middle of the island, and you shall find a well there, of good colour, and an abundance of every kind of herb besides around it. And take your sufficiency of herb and water with you from it.” The brethren went, and found the well as Brendan had told them.

³ And Brendan and his brethren were three months in that island, for there was great tempest upon the ocean and a very strong wind. The brethren did as Brendan had told them — to go for the flesh upon the strand. And this is how they found the flesh — all eaten by the ocean’s monsters. And they themselves came to where Brendan was, and told him tidings, that not a morsel of the flesh remained in it, and that it was fulfilled as the holy father had told them. “I know,” said he(?), “that you have gone to see the truth of what I told you; and I tell you moreover that we shall all come to the strand tomorrow and shall find a portion of the great one’s fish there(?)”; and that was fulfilled as Brendan had said.

⁴ They carried with them all they could of the fish. Brendan said: “Let the fish be stored by you, and salt it, for you shall get a great wind and good weather after this, by which you shall see this island(?).” Brendan bade his household to load the ship with roots and herbs and fish, and told them again to carry water with them, for he himself had not consumed anything wherein was spirit or soul since he had taken the yoke of priesthood upon him(?). And when their ship was laden they put her out; and they were voyaging in the northern quarter each at once.

The Tale of the Island of the Three Peoples, where Brendan left a Brother of his Household #

¹ One day when Brendan and his community were travelling the vast sea they saw an island far from them. And Brendan said to them: “Do you see there island that I see?” “We see it,” said they. “There are three peoples in it,” said Brendan — “a people of boys, and a people of young men, and a people of old men. And one of our brethren shall go there on his pilgrimage.” And they asked which of them; and he was unwilling to tell them that. And when he saw them sorrowful he told them; and it was the one who was going there — one of the three brethren who had come out of the monastery with them.

² And they journeyed toward the island until they came upon the strand. And this is how that island was — a plain as level and even; and it was covered with white lilies. And there were three peoples there; and the distance of a man’s cast of a stone between them(?). And they used to go westward and eastward over the island chanting prayer, and this is what they kept saying: “Ibunt sancti de virtute in virtutem” — the saints shall go from virtue to virtue.

³ And when they had finished that prayer, two men of the people of the boys came to them, and brought two baskets of purple scallops(?) with them; and they put them into the ship for Brendan; and said to them: “Eat some of the fruit of the island of the strong men; and give us our own brother. And depart in peace.” Then Brendan called that brother to him and said to him: “Give a kiss to the brethren, and go with there folk who are asking for you. And I tell you, brother, that good was the hour in which your mother conceived you in her womb, when you have merited to go into there community.”

⁴ And after he had given the kiss of peace to the brethren and to Brendan, Brendan said to him: “Son, remember the benefits God has given you in this world, and pray for us.” And when he had left a blessing with Brendan, he went with the two young men we have mentioned to that holy school. And when the saints saw him coming to them they sang this verse: “Ecce quam bonum” etcetera — that is, how good and joyful it is for brethren to come into one place. And they sang the hymn Te Deum laudamus etcetera with great joy. And they all kissed him.

⁵ And Brendan and his household departed after that. And when meal-time came to them, Brendan bade some of the scallops(?) be brought to him; and one scallop of them was brought to him; and he said to them: “I do not remember that I ever read or saw a scallop so great as this.” And it was as round and even in form as a ball. And he cut it into its twelve parts, and struck an ounce of its juice into the hand of each brother of them(?). And in that wise for twelve days it sustained him(?) and the brethren, with a taste of honey in each man’s mouth of them.

⁶ And after they had made a fast of three days, as Brendan had bidden them, they saw a most radiant bird coming toward them, and it alighted upon the prow of the ship. And it had a most beautiful branch in its beak of trees such as they did not know, and berries as big as most beautiful fruit upon its tip; and it dropped it in Brendan’s presence, and itself returned from which it had come. And Brendan called the brethren to him and said to them: “Eat this food that God has given you”; and those berries were like crab-apples in size. And Brendan divided that fruit among the brethren; and they had sustenance of it for twelve days. And Brendan told them to fast for three days and three nights likewise; and they did that fast then at Brendan’s counsel.

The Tale of the Island of the Fruitful Trees #

¹ Another day as Brendan and his crew were travelling the sea they saw an island; and this is how it was — full of very tall trees. And those trees were all of one kind, and full of fruit of one colour and one shape. And there was not a single sickly or fruitless tree of them all. And when they had come ashore the holy man — Brendan — went round the island. And they had sustenance in the fragrance of that island, though they had no other refreshment but it.

² And Brendan found very pure springs there, and many roots and herbs in them. And he returned then to where his household was; and he brought some of those fruits with him to the brethren, and this is what he said to them: “Take some of this fruit with you as you go, and your bodies shall be sustained by the fruit God has given you.” And they did so. And they stayed in the island after that for the space of forty days and forty nights; and after that they went into their ship, taking some of the fruit with them.

The Tale of the Wonderful Griffin #

¹ One day as Brendan and his brethren were travelling the harbour, they saw the terrible bird above them — a clawed griffin; and it was as large as a bull or a two-year-old ox. And when the brethren saw it, great fear and vast horror seized them, and they said: “Father, give us help quickly, for it is to swallow us that there terrible monster has come.” Brendan said: “Be not afraid, for He who has delivered you from every peril hitherto is He who shall deliver us from this danger.” And when he had stretched his griffin toward the brethren(?), the bird that had brought them the bough came toward them and fought with the griffin and struck it down(?). And when it had overcome it, it struck its eyes out of it, and its body fell in the presence of the brethren into the sea. And when the brethren saw that they praised God greatly. And the aforementioned bird returned to the island of Ailbe thereafter.

The Tale of the Sea-Monsters #

¹ Another day as Brendan was celebrating the feast of Peter in his ship, they saw the sea very clear, very bright, very calm(?) about them, so that they could see all the fish and many monsters that were in the ocean; and this is how they were — as though they were herds upon smooth, very broad plains, so that they were like walls around the ship. And when the brethren saw them, they begged Brendan to say Mass in a low voice, lest the monsters should hear the voice he would make. Brendan answered them however, and this is what he said — laughing at them for the greatness of his wonder that they should be afraid, and how often God had delivered them from a greater peril than that.

² And Brendan said to them: “What brings this fear upon you, brethren? — by our God and our own Lord Jesus Christ, and by Him who can subdue all creatures, He shall subdue there monsters for us.” And when he had said that, he said the Mass louder than he had ever said it before. And the brethren’s attention was upon the monsters during that time. And when the monsters heard the holy man’s voice, they fled away from the ship, so that they saw not even a few of them from that time forth. And it was with difficulty that Brendan’s people could stir(?), for seven days thereafter, the sunny clear-bright sea, the ship under full sail with them.

The Tale of the Island of the Twelve Irishmen and the Sea-Cat here #

¹ They rowed then over the ocean a while westward, and found a little delightful island with an abundance of excellent fish in it. As they were going round it they saw a little stone church in it, and a white frail old man praying in it. And this is how that old man was — without blood, without flesh, but thin wretched leather upon the hard-yellow bones that were in him(?). Then that old man said: “Flee quickly, O Brendan,” said he. “There is a great sea-cat here like a young ox or a three-year-old horse, grown fat upon the fish of the sea and of this island; and it will destroy you soon(?).”

² They go then into their ship and row the ocean mightily. As they were there they saw the monstrous sea-cat swimming after them — as large as a cauldron each of its two eyes(?), boar’s tusks it had, a sharp bristle upon it, a horse’s mane(?), with a lion’s strength, with a hound’s fury. Then every one of them fell to praying to God because of the greatness of the fear that had seized them. Then Brendan said: “O Almighty God,” said he, “forbid Your monster from us, that it come not toward us.”

³ Then there arose a great sea-whale between them and that monstrous cat, and each of them set about drowning the other in the depth of the sea; and none of them was ever seen from that time forth. Then Brendan and his household gave thanks to God; and they returned again to the place where the old man was. And the old man rejoiced for the greatness of the joy that seized him, and this is what he said: “Of the men of Ireland am I,” said he, “and twelve men of us went on our pilgrimage, and we brought there monstrous sea-cat with us, and it was dear to us; and it grew great thereafter, and never did us hurt. And eleven of the company we were at first are dead; and I am alone here at this prayer(?), until the body of Christ and His blood be given to me, and I go then to heaven.”

⁴ Then the old man showed them the little land they were seeking(?), namely the Land of Promise. Now after he had received the body of Christ and His blood, the old man went to heaven. Then he was buried together with his brethren with great honour, and with psalms and hymns, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The Finding of the Land of Promise by Brendan here #

¹ One day as Brendan and his household were travelling and seeking the sea, the little land they had been seeking for the space of seven years happened to appear to them — the Land of Promise; as it is in the proverb: “He that seeks finds” (Matt. 7:8). Now when they had come near that land, and wished to take harbour in it, they heard the voice of a certain old man speaking to them, and this is what he kept saying: “O toil-worn men, O holy pilgrims, O folk that pray the holy prayer(?), O ever-weary life(?) toiling in prayer in this land — pray a little before you cast your labouring aside(?).”

² Now after they had been there a while in silence, the old man said to them: “Beloved brethren,” said he, “in Christ — why do not approach this notable beautiful land, wherein men’s blood has never been shed, and which is not fit for the burial of sinners or wicked men? Leave you all in your ship everything you have, save only the little garments about you; and come ashore.” Now when they had come ashore each of them kissed the other, and the old man rejoiced greatly for the measure of his gladness. “Seek and see,” said he, “the borders and the dwellings of Paradise, the place where health without sickness is found, joy without strife, union without quarrel, sovereignty without dissolution, the ministry of angels, feasting without diminution, plains honey-sweet of odour like smooth blessed blossom. If Brendan son of Findlogh be born(?), gather(?) him in unity in there place(?),” said the same old man, “in the eternal dwelling of the island in which are(?), for ever, the ages of life(?).”

³ Now when they had seen that Paradise between the waves of the sea, they wondered and wondered greatly at the wonders of God and His power, after seeing those miracles. Now this is how that old man was — without any human garment at all, but his body was full of white feathers like a dove or a gull, and angels’ speech was with him save only a little(?). The tierce was celebrated by them after the striking of the bell, with thanksgiving to God, and their minds set upon God. However they dared not ask anything.

⁴ Then the old man said: “Let every one of you pray apart, without converse of one with another of you, for holy and angelic is this land; and moreover sin is accustomed to speak(?), for often in the ancient failings there is vain sorrow or joy.” “That pleases us well,” said the people. After they had been a while thus, the old man comes and this is what he said: “Let midday be celebrated with us,” said he. Now when they had come to celebrate midday, Brendan asked that old man: “Is it lawful for me,” said he, “to stay here until your doom?”

⁵ Now the answer the old man gave him was this: “He who asks his own will goes against God’s will. And it is sixty years,” said he, “since I came here, and angels’ food has sustained me during that time. And my body has not declined from its old age. Not here was I born(?), but in the age I came into it(?), and so I am still. This is what Christ said to me — to be here thirty years beyond there thirty at which you are praying(?). And to-day it is time for me to go to heaven, since you have come to me. After you have celebrated none, depart to your own land, and teach the men of Ireland, for crimes and sins shall be heavily suppressed(?). And Christ said to me that at this hour of none you should reach this land — and your household and your monks — and to show(?) you before the saints of Ireland seven years before the doom, and there wonderful anchor the priest made with you.”

⁶ After they had celebrated none, the bird that used to minister their meal to them before came, with a half-loaf of wheaten bread and a portion of fish, to give to every man of them. Now after they had eaten their meal they gave thanks to God. Now after the old man had received the body of Christ and His blood and His flesh, his soul went at once to heaven, and they buried his body afterwards with great honour and vast reverence.

⁷ After these conversations had been held between them, Brendan with his monks set out toward their ship. And they went over the great-waved sea, and no wonder is related of their journeyings, until they reached eastern Árainn, after they had been two years upon that voyage, and five upon the former voyage — so that it is seven years in all upon the two voyages seeking the Land of Promise; as a certain learned man said:

⁸ Seven years were they all
voyaging — fair the band —
seeking the land a while,
the promised, three(?)-strong slender one(?),
until they found at last
in the high regions of the ocean
an island rich, eternal, without division,
salmon-haunted(?), fair-formed, most lovely.

⁹ Now when they had reached eastern Árainn they found a great welcome there, as Christ with His apostles would have found; and they tell their tidings and their adventures from beginning to end to the people of Árainn. When Enda and Pupa with their company had heard those tidings, they rejoiced exceedingly for the greatness of the gladness that seized them. Now the people were pressing Brendan to stay with them, and they begged him to remain with them. Brendan said to them: “It is not here my resurrection shall be,” said he, and he did not suffer to remain there. They were there for the space of a month after the weariness of rowing.

¹⁰ After that season and that time Brendan leaves the people of Árainn the ship with its anchor, and they themselves set out toward Ireland, until they took port at Inis dá Dhroma on the sea of Luimnech. They landed then in Inis dá Dhroma, and were four days and four nights in it without sustenance of food or drink. Now four of that holy company died through the stress of the weariness that befell them; and they were buried there with honour and great reverence.

¹¹ Three days after that Brendan sent his disciples to the river Forgus in the Déisi of Munster to ask fish of the fishermen of the river. However the fishermen refused Brendan’s people. Then Brendan refused(?)/cursed the river for ever from that time forth, that no fish should be upon it. Sixty streams moreover Brendan cursed in Ireland because the fishermen of those streams refused to give him fish. Sixty other streams Brendan blessed in Ireland, for their fishermen had satisfied him; as he said:

¹² Sixty streams, before they satisfied him,
Brendan blessed with purity;
sixty streams grievously
after he took fish from their pool(?).

¹³ One day as Brendan and his monks were journeying in the lands of Cliu, they went to Port Eile to seek fish. Now the fishermen made Brendan welcome. Then Brendan blessed the stream, though it had been barren until that time; and the stream was full of every good thing from that time forth.

¹⁴ Then Brendan reached Inber Áise in the lands of Cliu, and was there that night. The dwellers of that land said to him: “There is,” said they, “a great pestilence in this land — a flood of flies(?) and sea-sand in its place(?).” Then he said: “O Lord — is it not more(?) — let this people be saved in their souls(?) through the glorious deed of this plague(?).” From that night forth there was never a single fly in that land. Brí Óiss in the lands of Cliu — sixty castles in it were laid waste through Brendan’s word; as he said:

¹⁵ Sixty battle-worthy castles
Brendan drowned with destruction;
through the pride of a very splendid king
they are for ever without habitation.

¹⁶ At another time Brendan left his ship at the strand of Inis dá Dhroma; and a psalm-singer of his household keeping it, chanting his psalms alone in it. Now when the sea-tempest came, it drew the ship from its port(?), and the psalm-singer’s brother said to Brendan: “My own brother has been drowned in the ship,” said he, “and the ship has certainly been broken, and his body is not found after his drowning.” Then Brendan said to him in great anger: “If it is greater you desire(?) mercy from it(?), go yourself in his stead, and do his work(?)”. Now after he had gone after his brother, he was drowned at once in the sea(?); and the young brother was between the waves of the sea like walls on every side of him, as it was with Moses son of Amram going with his people through the Red Sea.

The Tale of Dobharchú #

¹ Brendan journeyed forward after that until he reached Dubh Daire in Thomond, and he made a dwelling and household a long while there serving the Lord, and interceding with the Creator, and making a guest-house in honour of his own Lord there. Now his neighbour in the district was Dobharchú — from whom are the Uí Dhobharchon in Thomond still. Now Dobharchú had a meadow of grass near Loch Lir. Now Brendan’s oxen(?) came into the meadow; the oxen are killed by Dobharchú. It is told to Brendan that the oxen had been killed. “If it be lawful to God,” said Brendan, “that an otter be made of Dobharchú.”

² Now Dobharchú and his wife — Créda was her name — went to the same meadow at the end of a year thereafter. A monstrous fish(?) then leaps in the lake in his presence. Now Dobharchú goes fishing, and catches a trout, and makes a fire of ferns(?), and bakes the trout, and eats it thereafter speared(?). Then he goes to drink water to the lake, and falls into the lake; and an otter is made of him throughout the lake through Brendan’s word. Now a son of Dobharchú’s comes — Cú Cúan was his name — and Créda to the same meadow. Another great fish-monster leaps in her presence in the lake. Cú Cúan comes to fish for it. Now the otter comes to forbid that to him, and said to him not to take the fish of the lake from him, and not to make a fire of ferns, and not to eat a salmon upon a spit(?) at all(?).

³ And he told him tidings wholly, and said:

⁴ “O Cú Cúan,
your father was lost not far hence;
he is beneath the lake as a monster —
come not to take its fish from him.”

⁵ “O Cú Cúan,
make not a fire of red fern;
eat not, though great your maw,
the fish upon a spit cold(?).”

⁶ “Cold was my bed upon a bare flag,
and my back to the sun continually;
I drink the water of Loch Lir —
I shall never reach my house.”

⁷ “A fish I fished suddenly burned me;
that is what brought me senseless;
evil my errand and wretched the journey —
arise, O Créd — O Cú Cúan(?).”

⁸ “If it chance upon a cooking-pit or a feast,
eat not your trout until it be cold(?);
though a bundle of firewood come to you,
burn not the fern, O Cú Cúan.”

⁹ “Dobhar-chú is mine own name;
I am witless and far hence;
it is little that the two names are unlike —
come not to call me, O Cú Cúan.”

¹⁰ “The Uí Dhobhorchon shall be my seed;
it shall be true for ever enduring;
whatever time they be called,
that shall be their name, O Cú Cúan.”

¹¹ “Whenever you shall see my shade(?)
from to-day forth for ever,
there shall be want upon you surely —
though small be your possessions, O Cú Cúan.” O Cú Cúan.

¹² Now Dobharchú was in that wise around the lake through Brendan’s word until he died; and the rest.

¹³ A long time afterwards Brendan pondered in his mind, and the fear of the Lord seized him greatly, concerning the drowning of the brother who had gone to the psalm-singer to the ship in Inis dá Dhroma, through the anger and wrath of Brendan himself. Brendan went to the saints of Ireland to pass judgement upon him concerning that matter; and he searched all the divine scriptures with them. And he went to the place where his foster-mother was — Íta; and he told her of the brother’s drowning. Íta told him to go over sea: “A foreign land,” said she, “you are seeking(?), that you may rule and teach the souls of men therein; and go,” said she.

Brendan’s Journey to the Lands of Britain here, through the Drowning of his Brother #

¹ Then Brendan went to the lands of Britain at his foster-mother’s command, to the place where Gildas the Briton was, with twelve men about him; as Mo Chua mac Dolcáin says in the rann:

² Brendan turned sunwise
with twelve men — long the journey;
high was his going(?)
until he baptised all the men of Alba.

³ Now when he had reached the land of Britain after very great toil of rowing, and after traversing the rough, wondrous, fiercely-cold(?) land of the Britons, Gildas the Briton said to his people that they should make a great feast: “There will come to us,” said he, “a holy toil-worn people at once — a head of faith and devotion, an apostle Paul renewed in humanity, and a most toilsome father of sea and land — Broen-find son of Findlogh.”

⁴ Now in winter-time Brendan reached the land of Britain, having been three years upon the road. Gildas bade seven iron locks be put upon the doors of the city, to test the holiness and faith of the guests. Then Brendan went to Gildas’s city to converse with Gildas himself; and a great snow fell upon them the night they came to the city, so that it filled all the land, reaching men’s knees(?). Yet it came not near them(?) save a distance away from them on every side.

⁵ Then the doorkeeper of the city wall said to them: “Come,” said he, “and let your own good works open before you.” Then Brendan said to his servant — to Talmach: “Go,” said he, “and open the door before us.” Talmach stretched his hand to the door, and the seven locks broke at once. He opened before them alone(?): the city was not in danger with seven iron locks upon it(?) — no one had ever opened it. And the locks were never found again thereafter.

⁶ Then they came to the temple, and there were three locks upon it of wrought iron. Then Brendan stretched his hand to the double doors(?), and this is what he said: “Open before us, O mother of Christ — O church.” Then the three locks broke so that they were never found again. Then the temple’s servant said to Brendan by the words of Gildas: “Say Mass, O Brendan,” said he. Now the altar was thus, with its furniture(?), all ready with three Greek letters upon it. Brendan opened the book, and this is what he said: “Open and reveal to me your letter, O Almighty God.” Then Brendan read the Greek book at once.

⁷ Then Gildas goes with his household to receive Christ’s body then at Brendan’s hand. Then Gildas saw a man upon the paten(?) and his blood in the chalice. Great fear seized Gildas, for he had often accused Brendan before(?): “What shall I do, O Brendan?” said he. “Vengeance is ready upon me for accusing you.” Then Brendan said: “I shall shield you from that vengeance; for though you have tested the guests, it is now a time of pardon — the time for receiving Christ’s body.” Then Brendan blessed the altar again, and it was Christ’s body that was upon the paten, and the water that was in the chalice was wine(?). Now after Gildas’s people had received Christ’s body at Brendan’s hand, Brendan and his household were there for the space of three days and three nights.

⁸ And he told his errand to Gildas. Now Gildas said: “I shall not pass judgement upon you,” said he; “but one thing only — there is a perilous glen in the wilderness of this city, and there are two lions in it, a he-lion and a she-lion; and it is they that lay waste this land where they are. And go you to them in the Lord’s name, and expel them from this district. And the Lord shall pass judgement upon you there.” Then Brendan went most joyfully at once, and Talmach his own disciple with him.

⁹ Then the she-lion was sleeping at midday. Brendan said to Talmach: “Wake the she-lion quickly.” He went toward it into the glen and struck it with his hand. The she-lion arose at once and gave forth her great roar aloud, until the tribes and territories nearest to it trembled. Then the he-lion came at that roar swiftly and fiercely. Then Brendan said to the two of them: “Arise,” said he, “and take with you all the lions that are in this glen, and keep the cattle of this district from henceforth for ever.” Now when the lions heard Brendan’s voice they went like faithful monks(?) at once, and took their whelps with them.

¹⁰ Great indeed was the miracle that was wrought there: the fierce, savage, rending, strong lions were tamed like household hounds, so that they used to be herding the land’s cattle like a herdsman’s driving-dogs. Now when all thought the lions would kill Brendan and Talmach, then they saw them coming safe and whole, and the lions behind them like young calves behind their mothers. Now when all had seen the lions following Brendan, a great fear seized them, and they went to their horses at once and fled through the woods and forests of the land. They returned again after the great peril without any opposition from the lions.

¹¹ A great fear seized Gildas, and he offered himself to Brendan as a faithful monk for ever. Then Gildas said to him: “God,” said he, “shall pass judgement upon you, for you are a worthy faithful son to God. But I give you counsel — to remain in this land, and the monkhood of this district to you for ever, and the rule of the land and the country to you”; as he said:

¹² “The district shall go to you without tribute,
as it is with its benefit(?);
men, sons, women without sin,
for ever they shall be serving you.”

¹³ Then Brendan said: “I give my conscience under the king of the stars,” said he, “that the world’s leaf is no more to me than the sea’s sand or the leaf of a wood”; as he said:

¹⁴ “I give my conscience there,
O Gildas, under the king of the stars,
that the slender world is no more to me
than the water of the river.”

¹⁵ Now after he had baptised(?), and after he had blessed Gildas’s city and the districts nearest to it, he left his blessing with them and departed then. Then the people and the districts wept greatly after him; for they loved him as though he were a father to them.

¹⁶ He came again to the Britons, and a church was built by him there in Inis Alec. One day Brendan was upon a high rock in that island; and he saw the two sea-whales coming from the depths of the sea, and they fighting hard with each other; and each of them was trying to drown the other. Then one of the two monsters began to flee; and the other monster followed it. Now the monster that was fleeing said with a human voice: “please now in the holy name of Brigid, that you would let me go from you.” The monster let it go at once; and it went into the depths of the sea.

¹⁷ That was a great wonder to Brendan; and he came to his household and this is what he said to them: “Arise quickly,” said he, “to Ireland, that I may visit the holy Brigid.” Then he made the famous hymn — Brígitt bé bith-maith (“Brigid, ever-good woman”) and etcetera. Now when he had come to the place where Brigid was, he tells her the converse of the two whales; and he asked: “What good,” said he, “do you do to God beyond me, when there whale prayed to you — you being absent and me present — and it was let go without entreaty?” Brigid said to Brendan: “Give me your conscience.” “I say,” said he, “that I never went over seven furrows without my mind being upon God. Give you your conscience,” said Brendan. “I give it,” said Brigid: “since I set my mind upon God, I have never taken it away, nor shall I ever take it. You however,” said she, “since you so often findest great peril of sea and land, you can not but give it to your way(?); and it is not surprising that you should forget God every third furrow thereof(?).”

¹⁸ Concerning which this poem:

¹⁹ Seven years to melodious Brendan
without visiting tribe or church;
upon the great whale’s back gloriously
in the sea — it was cause enough for wonder.

²⁰ The great melodious fierce whale begs(?)
against the monster as it lets it go(?);
the monster said: “whoever it be(?),
I shall not let it go for that.”

²¹ It called upon Brigid’s aid —
for fear of its destruction;
through Brigid’s victorious help
thereafter it was not fearful.

²² “I am weary,” said Brendan without guile,
“until I reach the place where the nun is;
though it be not known from where comes
her prayer beyond mine.”

²³ The cleric came within —
though bashful, he was not shameful;
he knelt to the nun without sin,
the nun knelt to him.

²⁴ Then Brendan went into the territory of Britain again, and the city whose name is Bleit in the land of Letha was built by him. Now Brendan wrought many miracles and wonders in that city, but they cannot be reckoned here. One night Brendan saw a vision in that place, and great was his grief for it; and he never told anyone anything of it save a little — namely, that the greatness of the faith that would arise among the Britons before the doom. And he feared a dwelling among them because of it(?).

²⁵ Now after Brendan had left the land of Britain he went to Ireland again, and Bishop Máenach with him. Then Mo Chaemóc — Senán was his name before — came to Brendan; and he left his father, and followed Brendan to study with him.

²⁶ Then Brendan went into the territory of Connacht, to Inis meic h-Ua Chuinn upon Loch Oirbsen. It was there that the two chariot-horses of the king of Connacht used often to graze(?). After Loch Oirbsen had been offered to Brendan, and after he had wrought miracles there, the son of the king of Echtge gave it to him; and he promised that neither foe nor friend should do him harm or injury as long as he should be there.

²⁷ Another day as Brendan was upon the plain beside Mag n-Ái, that island(?); a poor man met him and blessed Brendan(?), and this is what he said: “Holy father,” said he, “have mercy on me and help me from the bondage in which I am with the king; for he would slay me and my children.” Then the patron of sufferings — Brendan — gave heartfelt compassion after pity had been taken on the poor man, and after confidence had been taken(?), a very heavy prayer(?) from the Father of mercies; and he thrust the staff that was in his hand into the sod beside him in God’s name, and he found a pound of refined gold there.

²⁸ And he said to the poor man: “Take that to the king, and it shall free you from the bondage in which you are with him; and tell him not who gave it.” The poor man took the gold and carried it to the king; and told him how he had found it. And the king said, as he had heard that — that it was thus the gold had been found: “That is Christ’s gold,” said he, “and it is not I who have a right to it, but God’s own servants. And I give freedom to you and to your children in honour of your God and of Brendan.”

²⁹ At a certain time after that Brendan said to his brethren: “We must go into Uí Maine, for the work and keeping of that land is laid upon us, for it is there our resurrection shall be; and I have heard an angel in my own name(?) fighting for its protection. So in the name of Him who has purchased us(?), let us go to help it now.” And they set out then until they reached the place where Cluain Ferta is. It was that time and season in which a battle chanced to be given between Diarmait mac Cerbaill and the kings of the northern half of Ireland concerning Colum Cille — namely the kindred of Conall son of Niall and of Eoghan son of Niall — the battle of Cúil Dreimhne. And the battle was broken upon Diarmait afterwards.

³⁰ Now when Brendan had reached that place, a monastery was built by him there — Cluain Ferta; and it is in it he chose his resurrection, and said: “Hic requies mea in saeculum saeculi” — here is my rest for ever. And it is to that monastery that Mo Chaemóc — Senán was his name before — came to Brendan from his father and mother to study under him. And he died near Brendan in that monastery. And great grief and vast sorrow came upon Brendan through his foster-son’s death; and he went to intercede with the Creator for his being revived for him(?); and he obtained the resurrection of his soul(?) — of himself(?) from the Lord of the elements.

³¹ Since he took the son of Uí Alta(?),
Brendan, with fulness of splendour(?),
it was never thought until now(?)
that Cluain Ferta from then onward(?).

The Deliverance of Aed Guaire from Diarmait mac Cerbaill by Brendan here; and the place in which it comes is before the Tale of Judas #

¹ Now after Ruadán of Lothra had been outraged by Diarmait mac Cerbaill concerning Aed Guaire — for Diarmait’s thievish gillie Aed Baclamh had been killed under the red-yew mantle that was under his house when it was broken into(?), taking the king’s spear through him inside it; and it was not enough for him(?) without the house itself being broken. And when he had fallen for that evil deed, and Ruadán had been outraged by Diarmait under the halter(?), the high saints of Ireland gathered to Diarmait — Colum Cille, and Ciarán of Cluain, and Mo Laisse, and Da Beóc, and Finnén, and Ruadán of Lothra, and the high saints of Ireland. And when they had been for the space of a year in common fast against Diarmait, every miracle they all wrought upon him, God did the like of it to themselves upon them(?) — for them(?).

² And when they had spent that year thus, the saints offered deliverance to Diarmait from the halter. Diarmait said, thinking he would not be found(?), that he would give sixty blue-eyed horses for it(?). And while Brendan was travelling the sea, God’s angel revealed to him that the saints of Ireland were in that great strait with Diarmait, about a thing that could not be got though all the world were searched, unless it were got through God’s graces. And when Brendan understood that, he came back to Ireland, and landed at Ess Dara in the territory of Connacht; and he took sixty seals of the sea’s seals with him, and made sixty fine horses of them, and carried them with him to Tara, to the place where the saints of Ireland were around Ruadán. And the saints rejoiced exceedingly at Brendan’s coming toward them.

³ He told them that he had brought those horses with him to give to Diarmait, as we have said before. And when the saints heard that, they sent word to Diarmait to bid him come to take that deliverance from them. And when Diarmait had come to where the saints were, the horses were given to him, and horsemanship was put upon them(?). And the seal-horse(?)-ish(?) did not take the spur-goads(?) of Diarmait’s people toward them(?); and the king’s people carried them in despite into the Boyne, so that seals were made of them in the presence of the men of Ireland; so that some of Diarmait’s people were drowned, and the rest of them scarce came ashore.

⁴ And Diarmait’s anger was all the greater for that; and he said that he would not submit without a ransom being got for the deceit that had been practised upon him and the destruction of his people. And it was a night of food-taking for the saints that night. And Brendan commanded the saints to practise a deceit toward the king of Ireland — that when their portion came to them, every morsel they should cut they should put toward their mouths, letting it fall between the collar of their scapular and the bare breast(?), and that they should keep chewing with their mouths; and every drink that should come to them to pour it likewise between themselves and their scapular, so that Diarmait’s people should think the saints were eating food, and that they would impute to Diarmait the eating of food(?).

⁵ And the saints did as Brendan told them, so that Diarmait ate food, and the virtue of the fast went upon Diarmait(?). And when the king had slept thereafter, the queen — Mumain daughter of Conrach son of Dúach of the Eóganacht of Cashel, the wife of the king of Ireland — saw a wondrous vision: she thought a victorious tree grew above Tara of the Kings, and its branches and its top spread over all Ireland; and she saw then the birds of Ireland settling upon that tree. And it seemed to her that twelve wrights came to cut that tree, with twelve axes with them; and every chip they struck from it went back upon the tree itself again. And it seemed to her that she saw one wright coming from the western sea, and the first blow he gave the tree he struck its head off at one stroke.

⁶ And she leaped out of the bed with the terror of the vision, until the king asked her what ill she had seen; and the queen told the vision to him. “Sad it is,” said the king. “I am that tree,” said he, “and the birds that are settling upon it are the kings of Ireland who have been subject to me for a space of twenty years; and the twelve wrights you saw coming to cut the tree are the twelve high saints of Ireland who have been fasting against me for a year, and I fasting against them likewise; and their fasting was no nobler with God than my fasting. And the last wright you saw who struck the head off the tree at one stroke is Brendan son of Findlogh, who came from the western sea. And he taught the saints a deceit toward me, so that I ate food and the clerics fasting; and Brendan has slain me. And let the saints be brought to me, that I may make peace with them.”

⁷ The saints come to meet the king; and he made peace with them, and gave them back their hostage thereafter. And Ruadán fought with Diarmait so that he cursed him, and prayed God that no king should ever sit in Tara again, and he cursed Tara then. And moreover he prayed that Diarmait’s death should be by burning and drowning and slaying. And Diarmait prayed God that Ruadán might be cursed, so that his half-leg and his half-hand and his half-eye might be taken from him. And that prayer of Diarmait’s was fulfilled. So it was thereby that Diarmait’s violent death came afterwards.

⁸ Now one day Brendan and his household were in another beautiful noble land. His household said to him: “There is not,” said they, “in the world a man who would forsake this land for God’s love.” Brendan said: “There is,” said he — “a warrior who is in Corc mo Druad west of Carn(?). And he had two excellent wives. And he was a passionate lover in(?) of the Creator’s gifts and tithes and alms(?) — devoted(?). His two wives said to him one day: ‘How long,’ said they, ‘shall we be with you in this wise?’ ‘Until you compete among yourselves(?),’ said he; ‘for God is driven out by disunion, and demons are summoned(?)’.”

⁹ “‘After a great contest thereafter between the women(?), he went unknown to the women on his pilgrimage over sea; and he found a patron’s ship at Áth Laighen(?). He goes into it upon the deep of the sea, until he found a holy island. And he took up there at once; and the ship comes alone from him to the place from which it had been taken. And he stayed alone in that island. So that it was he himself who told us these tidings a long while thereafter. And his whole body was covered with pure-white feathers like a dove or a gull. So however,’ said Brendan, ‘whoso shall forsake his land and his country as this man did shall be valiant, perfect, righteous like this man.’”

¹⁰ One day Brendan was journeying in the wilderness of Gaul. A vast unbearable wind came upon them. Then one of his household said to Brendan: “These trees will fall upon us and will crush us(?).” Then Brendan said: “Beloved brethren,” said he, “listen to me a little. One night we were upon the sea. All the people slept save me alone. Then I saw an island in the middle of the sea, and this is how the island was — with seven cold feet under it(?); and the great ships used to go under sail beneath it between its feet. And all the voices and sounds were in it. And moreover three ships were bound under it that night(?). Who then,” said Brendan, “can hold that seven-footed island upon the middle of the sea, and all the winds striking it from every quarter — He can surely save us from the peril of these trees that are threatening to fall upon us; and it is He who is king of heaven and earth.”

The Bringing of the Monk Colmán out of the Demons’ Power through the Grace of Holy Brendan’s Prayer #

¹ One day two of Brendan’s household were conversing, and Brendan listening to them; and this is what they said: “Can the soul of the sinner be brought out of hell through the prayer and alms of the friends living after him(?)?” Then Brendan said to them: “Listen to me,” said he. “One day we were asleep upon the sea; one warrior of us without sleep. He saw a black, dark, rough, hideous, terrible cloud coming toward him from the edge of the great sea. That warrior came to me at once,” said Brendan, “and this is what he said: “Great fear has seized me,” said he; and he said to me: “Arise quickly to there great cloud coming toward us; and do you hear the terrible voice in it?”

² “‘Now when I had arisen I saw the hideous cloud with the form of a black dark man in it, like a drowned coal or a sea-raven; and that wretched form was ever weeping and ever lamenting for the greatness of its pain; and then it said to me: “I beseech you,” said he, “by Jesus Christ, by the Son of the king of heaven and earth, that you pray the Lord for me these three days, for there is none whose pain is greater this night for the measure of my sins(?)”; and it flew from us with that voice(?). Then we all arose at once and prayed to the Lord for him. It came after three days then, its body all dark-grey. And its sorrow was less; and this is what it said again — to pray to the Lord for it for another three days; and it departed with that voice.”

³ “‘At the end of a week it came again, and a white cloud about it, and its body all radiant like a summer’s sun. And that white cloud was thus — with seven various fair choirs(?) in its middle; and they were sweeter than all the music of the world. Then it gave thanks to God, and said: ‘Now,’ said he, ’the Saviour of the human race is calling me to His own kingdom.’ “Then I said,” said Brendan, “‘Who are you, or what is your name?’ ‘I am Colmán, a monk,’ said he, ’the worst of all monks.’ Then after leaving a blessing with the brethren, he went at once to heaven with the ministry of angels.”

⁴ “‘It was then,’ said Brendan, ’that my monks prayed me to make that prayer for them, for they had seen the profit of it to there monk. Yet it was not granted by me to do that, until Michael the archangel came to me thereafter, and this is what he said to me: “God has heard your intercession,” said he; “seek and traverse God’s scriptures(?), and make the communal prayer from them(?), that you may be delivering and shielding the men of the world from hell with its many pains.”’”

⁵ Then Brendan made that famous prayer, it being in his ship(?). Now Michael the archangel blessed that prayer of Brendan’s, and this is what he said: to sing it twice twelve times in one day for the soul of every sinner(?), and twelve genuflexions at each chanting of it, and a Pater at the end of every course. And there is none, for the greatness of his sin — alive or dead — who shall not find forgiveness, provided it be done for him in that wise. It is fitting moreover that it should be he — Michael the archangel — who would tell him to make that prayer beyond every other angel(?). Not so(?); for it was Michael, Brendan’s angel. “So it is manifest from that,” said Brendan, “that it profits the dead, their living friends taking their place after them.”

⁶ Now after Brendan had traversed the land of Gaul, and after he had wrought great miracles and wonders in the eastern parts, he came thereafter to Ireland; and after the weariness of sea and great land he went to Cluain Ferta Brenainn, and made his dwelling therein for a long time thereafter.

⁷ Once when Brendan son of Findlogh was in Cluain Ferta on Easter Day(?), seven years before his death. They celebrate in the church; they preach, they make offering. Now when midday came the monks go to the refectory. Brendan is left alone in the church. They all begin their refectory. A cleric-boy they had, a little harp in his hand. They begin to entertain him(?), until they gave him their blessing(?). “I should think it wonderful now,” said the monks, “if Brendan would let me out onto the floor of the church(?), that I might play three strains for him(?).” “He will not let you to him(?),” said the cleric-boy; “it is seven years moreover since Brendan laughed(?) at a thing, and he has not heard music of the world’s music; but two crab-apples and a thread between them used to be before him upon the book(?). Now whenever he heard music, he used to put the apples into his ears.” “I shall go,” said the cleric-boy, “to play the harp to him.”

⁸ So he goes out, his harp tuned in his hand. “Open,” said the cleric-boy. “Who is there?” said Brendan. “A cleric-boy to play the harp for you,” said he. “Play outside,” said Brendan. “If it is not grievous to you, I should be glad to be let onto the floor of the church to you.” “Well,” said he, “open before me.” The cleric-boy puts his harp between his two feet on the floor(?). Brendan puts his two crab-apples into his two ears. “I like not,” said the cleric-boy, “your entertainment thus, if it be not that you take the wax out of them(?).” “It shall be done indeed,” said he. Then he puts them upon the book in his presence. Then he plays three strains for him. “A blessing on you, cleric-boy,” said Brendan, “with the music of heaven to you after it.”

⁹ Then he puts the apples into his ears again(?), for he wished not to listen to music of the music of this side(?). “Why do you not listen to music?” said the cleric-boy. “do you think it evil?” “Well, cleric-boy,” said he, “this is why — when I was in this church seven years ago to-day, after offering and after preaching here, the cleric-boys went to the refectory; I was left here alone. Desire seized me for my Lord after receiving Christ’s body. As I sat, trembling and fear seized me, until I saw a bird upon the window, and it alighted upon the altar. I kept gazing upon it for the sun-rays that were about it. ‘Bless us, O cleric,’ said it. ‘May God bless you,’ said Brendan. ‘Who is there?’ said Brendan. ‘Michael the angel,’ said it, ’to converse with you.’ ‘Thanks be given to God,’ said Brendan, ‘why have you come?’ ‘To bless you, and to entertain you from your Lord.’ ‘you are welcome to me,’ said Brendan. He spread his wings from his side(?). I was listening to it from one hour to another(?), and it took leave of me thereafter.”

¹⁰ Then Brendan gives the whistle(?) through his throat(?): “Is it sweet to you, cleric-boy? I give my conscience to God,” said Brendan, “that no music of the world’s music is sweeter to me than that music is than this whistling(?). And take you a blessing, and be not envious of my entertainment(?).” “So that is Brendan’s hermitage in Cluain Ferta(?).”

¹¹ Now at another time the men of Munster went to plunder Connacht. Brendan went to forbid them, and asked a truce of them; yet it was not granted him; and they pressed on to make the hosting. This however is what God did — that they went round about in one place; and everyone who came would return there again(?), and they were thus for a long time through the Lord’s powers, and through holy Brendan’s prayer. And the Connachtmen were saved in that wise. Now after Brendan had gone from there, it chanced that a certain holy dumb boy came to him, having been dumb from his birth. Now when Brendan had blessed him, he spoke at once.

¹² Then Brendan went to converse with his sister — Bríghe — to the fortress of Aed son of Eochaid, which is called Enach n-Dúin to-day. So after traversing sea and land, after raising the dead, after healing lepers and blind and deaf and lame and folk of every other disease, after founding churches and monasteries and holy places, after ordaining abbots and teachers, after blessing waterfalls and river-mouths, after consecrating territories and peoples, after destroying sin and vices, after great perils of sea and land, after driving out demons and wizards(?), after victory of pilgrimage and devotion, after fulfilling miracles and wonders which cannot be related, the day of death of that holy Brendan drew near.

¹³ Then Brendan said to the brethren after the Sunday offering, and after he had received Christ’s body and blood: “God is calling me,” said he, “to the everlasting kingdom; and my body is to be brought to Cluain Ferta, for there shall be a multitude(?) of angels in it, and in it shall my resurrection be. Let a little chariot be made by you, and let one of you go with it to carry my body, that the districts may not see the great funeral train(?), and a multitude with it, lest discord should arise then about the body. Then there shall chance to meet one one-eyed(?) young warrior in particular to him who shall carry my body — Cuirrine son of Sétnai he is. And this is what he shall say to the brother who shall have the body: “Is it the body of this saint you have?” said he with a grim voice; “with ourselves shall its resurrection be,” said he; “and let the body go from you.” Then,” said Brendan, “the brother shall give the piece of gold out of the ground(?) to Cuirrine as he departs from him. The warrior shall say — he will not take it. “You yourself shall have kingship, and your seed after you,” said the brother to him. “Let me go free(?). And here is a token to you of it — I was being talked of to-day(?), how you might reach heaven.” “Ah,” said he. “you shall find heaven and earth,” said the brother. “He shall let it go then,” said Brendan, “for that triad — for gold, for kingship, and for heaven. And let the brother bless him then, and let them all depart.”

¹⁴ Now when he had finished saying all that, he blessed the brethren, and his sister — Bríghe; and when he had reached the threshold of the church, this is what he said: “In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum; redemisti me, Domine, Deus veritatis” — Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth (Luke 23:46). He sent forth his spirit after the completion of ninety-three years; as the prophet said:

¹⁵ Brendan’s life without sin —
he was a sage, a prophet, a poet;
ninety-three years exactly
he spent in great peril.

¹⁶ Five hundred and eighty-one years from the Incarnation of Christ son of the living God until the death of Brendan son of Findlogh; as he said:

¹⁷ From the birth of Mary’s son, it is certain to us,
to the death of Brendan’s life(?),
eighty-one years glorious
and five hundreds complete(?).

¹⁸ On the sixteenth day his feast is celebrated, in the month of May in particular.

¹⁹ Then Brendan’s body was put into the chariot the next day, as Brendan himself had said, and the one brother went with it. Cuirrine son of Sétnai chanced to meet him; and he said to him as the holy Brendan had foretold. Then Brendan’s body was carried to Cluain Ferta, and it was buried there with great honour and reverence, with psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, in honour of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I ask the mercy of Almighty God through the intercession of holy Brendan that we may all attain to the unity of the holy Trinity, may we merit it, may we dwell in it for ever and ever. Amen. FINIS.