64 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



by him when living, he receives a respite on Sundays and some holy days from his 

 torments in the fiery mountain. The incident tends with Brendan successfully 

 defying the demons and extending Judas' leave for some hours. 



We are nearing the end. A lofty island is visited whereon dwells a hermit named 

 Paul, an old man clad in white hair, who, having been a disciple of Patrick, came 

 here by that saint's direction and has remained for ninety years, being miraculously 

 supplied with food. [Variations of certain elements of the Vita will be recognised.] 

 Paul tells them they are at the end of their wanderings. They spend the paschal 

 season as in previous years, except that the sea beast Jasconius, as a farewell courtesy, 

 carries them on his back to the Paradise of Birds. After forty days' sailing they pass 

 through a dark cloud and land in a beautiful country, full of fruits and gems, where 

 there is always sunshine. At the end of forty days they come to a great river which 

 they may not cross. A youth of resplendent countenance appears and tells Brendan 

 that this is the land he sought and that he had not found it sooner because the Lord 

 wished to reveal to him the secrets of the ocean. [We may be certain that in an 

 earlier form of the Legend this land could be attained only once in seven years. 

 There is, or was, a tale told on the coast of Clare of a land which could be seen every 

 seven years.'] He bids Brendan return home, assuring him that this land will be 

 shown to his successors when the time of tribulation for Christians is at hand, and to 

 all the elect when the Almighty has subjugated the peoples to Himself. They 

 depart, pay a visit to the island called "of Delights,"^ and arrive home, where 

 Brendan soon after dies. 



The Background in Literature and Folk-Lore 



The sources of many of the elements entering into the Brendan 

 Legend have been indicated in the running analysis or can be readily 

 deduced from what has been said as to the historical conditions amid 

 which it arose. Irish churchmen would know from the experiences of 

 their anchorite brethren, possibly also from their Norse enemies, of 

 rocky islands, whirlpools, icebergs, perhaps of drift ice, volcanic 

 eruptions, and small, shaggy beings who could serve on occasion as 

 demons. The common stock of European folk-lore and saint-lore 

 would furnish food bringing birds, talking birds, angels in bird form, 

 banquets spread forth miraculously without human agents, super- 

 natural food, sleep-producing fountains, dogs that guide strangers. 



The sea-monster Jasconius is of more remarkable texture. The 

 name is Irish — from iasc, still the usual word for fish. He is described 

 as the largest creature of the deep, who is continually trying to join 

 his head to his tail, traits which seem to identify him with the Mid- 

 gardsworm of Scandinavian mythology. The facts that such a 

 creature seems otherwise unknown to Irish myth, and that from the 



' Cf. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. XXX (1912), Sect. C, pp. 

 251, 257. 



- This seems to designate the island occupied by Mernoc and his monks. 



