The deed was a dark one, a deed full of woe, Your brother Dedannan to slay; And hard and relentless the heart of your foe, The bright-faced Ildana, that forced you to go, This eric of vengeance to pay! THE BROTHERS. Oh, cease, sister Ethnea, cease thy sad wail; Why yield to this terror and gloom? Long, long shall the poets remember the tale, For our courage and valour and swords shall prevail, Or win us a glorious tomb! ETHNEA. Then search ye, my brothers, go search land and sea; Go search ye the isles of the East.-- Alas, that the cruel Ildana's decree Has banished my three gentle brothers from me, On this fearful and perilous quest! FOOTNOTES: [XLV.] Bruga of the Boyne, the palace of Angus, the great Dedannan magician, was situated on the north shore of the Boyne, not far from Slane. (See note 1 at end.) CHAPTER VI. THE APPLES OF THE GARDEN OF HISBERNA. After this the three brothers entered the canoe, which they now found large enough to hold themselves and their arms, and whatsoever else they wished to bring; for this was one of its secret gifts. They then bade their sister farewell, and, leaving her weeping on the shore, they rowed swiftly till they had got beyond the beautiful shores and bright harbours of Erin, out on the open sea. Then the two younger brothers said, "Now our quest begins: what course shall we take?" Brian answered, "As the apples are the first part of the fine, we shall seek them first." And then he spoke to the canoe, "Thou canoe of Mannanan, thou Sweeper of the waves, we ask thee and we command thee, that thou sail straightway to the Garden of Hisberna!" The canoe was not unmindful of the voice of its master, and obeyed the command without delay, according to its wont. It took the shortest way across the deep sea-chasms, and, gliding over the green-sided waves more swiftly than the clear, cold wind of March, it stayed not in its course till it reached the harbour near the land of Hisberna. Brian now spoke to his brothers, "Be sure that this quest is a perilous one, since we know that the best champions of the country, with the king at their head, are always guarding the apples. And now in what manner, think you, is it best for us to approach the garden?" "It seems to us," answered his brothers, "that we had better go straight and attack these champions, and either bring away the apples, or fall fighting for them. For we cannot escape the dangers that lie before us; and if we are doomed to fall in one of these adventures, it may, perchance, be better for us to die here than to prolong our hardships."