Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Legends of the Celtic Saints. 337
her brother to withdraw a couple of his monks from their
labours to row them across to the mainland. " We will,"
said she, " trust to God for a passage." Coming to the
shore, she made the sign of the cross on the water, and
spread her cloak on it.
The garment at once assumed the qualities of a stout
board, and the sisters, each taking her position at a
corner, went tranquilly over the rough waters of the bay.
Fanchea observing one corner of the raft rather shaky,
and inclined to let the salt water invade the feet of the
sister placed there, exhorted her to acknowledge the fault
which occasioned this partial failure. " Dear mother,"
said the repentant lady, " while on the island I coveted a
nice pipkin for which we have much need at home, and so
I secretly brought it away with me." " Ah, dear daughter,
you have done wrong. One venial sin deliberately committed
may lead easily to a mortal sin. Throw the cause
of your fault into the sea." It was done, and the
remainder of the voyage was pleasantly effected.
ST. BRENDAIN'S VOYAGE.
The story-tellers of kings and chiefs among the Gael
had their repertory very exactly arranged, the chief sub-
jects, as before mentioned, being huntings, adventures in
caverns, stormings of forts, pitched battles, enchantments,
love stories, voyages, &c. A modification of the prin-
cipal will be discovered in the saintly legends that were
invented or tampered with by the successors of the pagan
and the early Christian bards. Of the voyage division
we have a good specimen in the celebrated course under-
taken by St. Brendain for the discovery of the Blessed
Isle of Breasil. This legend appears to have been trans-