Myths & Legends of the Celtic RaceRolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race
Rolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)
Celts -- Religion; Mythology, Celtic
A great and wide island with a herd of huge swine on it. They killed a
small pig and roasted it on the spot, as it was too great to carry on
board. The island rose up into a very high mountain, and Diuran and Germān
went to view the country from the top of it. On their way they met a broad
river. To try the depth of the water Germān dipped in the haft of his
spear, which at once was consumed as with liquid fire. On the other bank
was a huge man guarding what seemed a herd of oxen. He called to them not
to disturb the calves, so they went no further and speedily sailed away.
*The Island of the Mill*
Here they found a great and grim-looking mill, and a giant miller grinding
corn in it. “Half the corn of your country,” he said, “is ground here.
Here comes to be ground all that men begrudge to each other.” Heavy and
many were the loads they saw going to it, and all that was ground in it
was carried away westwards. So they crossed themselves and sailed away.
*The Island of the Black Mourners*
An island full of black people continually weeping and lamenting. One of
the two remaining foster-brothers landed on it, and immediately turned
black and fell to weeping like the rest. Two others went to fetch him; the
same fate befell them. Four others then went with their heads wrapped in
cloths, that they should not look on the land or breathe the air of the
place, and they seized two of the lost ones and brought them away
perforce, but not the foster-brother. The two rescued ones could not
explain their conduct except by saying that they had to do as they saw
others doing about them.
*The Island of the Four Fences*
Four fences of gold, silver, brass, and crystal divided this island into
four parts, kings in one, queens in another, warriors in a third, maidens
in the fourth.
On landing, a maiden gave them food like cheese, that tasted to each man
as he wished it to be, and an intoxicating liquor that put them asleep for
three days. When they awoke they were at sea in their boat, and of the
island and its inhabitants nothing was to be seen.
The Island of the Glass Bridge
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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