Westropp — Brasil and the Legendarij Islands of the N. Atlantic. 231 



It seems well established that Braenfinn' (as he was named from a " fair 

 rain " which flooded Fenit, near Tralee, or from his " fair body ") was a son of 

 Finding, and born at Alltraige Caille, near Fenit, Co. Kerry. He was foster- 

 son of the noble and holy lady, Tta of Kilkeedy, and founded two great monas- 

 teries at Avdfert and Clonfert, where fine remains of later, but still ancient, 

 cathedrals- and churches exist. He is surnamed from Clonfert or from his 

 patronymic " Mac Findloga " to distinguish him from the other famous saint 

 of Birrha. He died May 16th, 576. He was famous for his voyages, the 

 first a failure, the second successful. The legends tell of his going " alone to 

 Sliabh Daidche, whei'e he saw the mighty intolerable ocean on every side, and 

 beheld the beautiful noble island with trains of angels." Brendan took a hide- 

 boat and sailed finding many islands; some seem genuine, others purely fanciful. 

 The Isle of Sheep ; the bird-full island, with very little wood and no grass, 

 but with a rivulet and sandy beach ; the island with enclaeures and " cashels " ; 

 the islands with cliffs and creeks, waterfalls, stores of fish, sea-eats on the 

 reefs, and hermits on the plateaux — had equivalents off the shores of Kerry 

 and Connacht. The walrus, with furze-like bristles, and huge boar's tusks ; 

 St. Ailbe's Isle ; the flat island of the monks, covered with white and purple 

 flowers, " marigolds," and large grape-like apples ; the island of trees full of 

 fruits and flowers, seem comparatively credible. So do the wonders of the 

 north, the flakes of glassy ice, impeding the hide-boats ; the whirlpool (of the 

 Maelstrom or Corrievreckan ?) ; the great icebergs, shining clear as crystal ; 

 the volcanoes covered with cinders and slag, like a forge, and throwing up 

 flames, and the dark dwarfs (? Esquimaux) who carry off a monli ; though 

 ill-assorted with the apparently tropic isles. - With these are absolute fancies, 

 the whale " lasconius," on whose scaly rind the saint spends a night^ (which 

 later myth-makers developed into two Easters or even into seven years' 



' Brendan of Cliiain (feaita) in " Calendar of Oengus " and " Mart, of Tallaght " ; Brendan, 

 Abbot of tbe Happy Isle, see " Chronicon Scotorum " and " Ann. Four Masters." The Normans 

 call the saint Brolndre and Brendan I'ancien, the Norse, Alebrandus and liishop Brene, or tlie 

 Bishop of Brene. One, liowever, suspects Alebrandus to be the Adelbrand who discovered Newland 

 to the west of Iceland in 12So, and attracted the Brendan tales to himself in the usual fashion. It is 

 also possible that some of the adventures of the noted traveller Bertrandou de Broegmore, a Bur- 

 gundian, noted for his pilgrimages, may have been aitracted to '' Borundon." Von Linschoten, a 

 Dutch writer, speaks, in 1.5S9, of the Isle of San Borondon 100 leagues west from the Canaries ; 

 tbe Spaniards call it *'San Morondon." 



2 '['his was a most favourite episode with later readers ; the idea has been quaintly illustrated in 

 early manuscripts. It was known to the Norse (" The True State of Island," 1592, by Arngrim, 

 in Hakluyt's Voyages, 159S, p. 531). .irngiim says that the belief in " whales like islauds" arose 

 from the Bishop of Brene, called by tlje ancient Norwegians Brendanus. He gravely refutes the 

 legend " how could the anchor hold on the slippery skin of a whale," " Oh, silly mariners that in ■ 

 digging cannot discern whale's flesh from earth ! " He, however, tells of floating islands, p. 523. 

 It is well illustrated by the maps of Olaus Magnus (1557) and Gustaldi (1564) ; see "Voyages of the 

 Brothers Zeni " (F. W". Lucas), plate iiii, and Periplus, plate xlv, and Facsimile Atlas, p. 59. 

 K.I.A. PKOC, VOL. XXX., SECT. C. [32] 



