And here I live from age to age; I pray and repent and fast; An otter brings me food each day, And I hope for heaven at last. The tempests roar and the billows rage, But God holds forth His hand, And cold nor heat nor storm nor sleet, Can harm me where I stand. FOOTNOTES: [LXXVI.] Tory Island, off the coast of Donegal, where there was a monastery dedicated to St. Columkille. CHAPTER XXXIV. SIGNS OF HOME. Soon after they saw a beautiful verdant island, with herds of oxen, cows, and sheep browsing all over its hills and valleys; but no houses nor inhabitants were to be seen. And they rested for some time on this island, and ate the flesh of the cows and sheep. One day, while they were standing on a hill, a large falcon flew by; and two of the crew, who happened to look closely at him, cried out, in the hearing of Maildun-- "See that falcon! he is surely like the falcons of Erin!" "Watch him closely," cried Maildun; "and observe exactly in what direction he is flying!" And they saw that he flew to the south-east, without turning or wavering. They went on board at once; and, having unmoored, they sailed to the south-east after the falcon. After rowing the whole day, they sighted land in the dusk of the evening, which seemed to them like the land of Erin. CHAPTER XXXV. MAILDUN MEETS HIS ENEMY, AND ARRIVES HOME. On a near approach, they found it was a small island; and now they recognised it as the very same island they had seen in the beginning of their voyage, in which they had heard the man in the great house boast that he had slain Maildun's father, and from which the storm had driven them out into the great ocean. They turned the prow of their vessel to the shore, landed, and went towards the house. It happened that at this very time the people of the house were seated at their evening meal; and Maildun and his companions, as they stood outside, heard a part of their conversation. Said one to another, "It would not be well for us if we were now to see Maildun." "As to Maildun," answered another, "it is very well known that he was drowned long ago in the great ocean." "Do not be sure," observed a third; "perchance he is the very man that may waken you up some morning from your sleep." "Supposing he came now," asks another, "what should we do?" The head of the house now spoke in reply to the last question; and Maildun at once knew his voice-- "I can easily answer that," said he. "Maildun has been for a long time suffering great afflictions and hardships; and if he were to come now, though we were enemies once, I should certainly give him a welcome and a kind reception." When Maildun heard this he knocked at the door, and the door-keeper asked who was there; to which Maildun made answer-- "It is I, Maildun, returned safely from all my wanderings."