It has been suggested that these stories were derived from classical and Celtic mythology. The first island brings to mind pagan tales mingled with Christian traditions of devils and the infernal regions; perhaps it owes something to the Homeric account of the isle of the Cyclops. But why, we may ask, did Irish writers place such fiery phenomena in the cold and rainy seas surrounding their home? Is it not possible that early Irish poets had heard vaguely of the volcanoes of Iceland and that nebulous reports of them, modified by the influence of classical and Christian traditions, took the form which we find in the legend of St. Brandan’s voyagings? May it not be significant that the fiery islands of St. Brandan were reached only after northerly wanderings? VOLCANOES AS GATES OF HELL Volcanoes were often popularly supposed to be the entrances into Hell or else little independent scenes of punishment and dwelling places of devils. Michael Scot would not decide “whether the gate to the lower regions is” in the volcanoes of the Lipari Islands and Sicily “or in the northern isle seen by St. Brandan....” But, he said, “whatever the way in, Hell is in the bowels of the earth, and there is no way out” (Haskins).[1025] St. Brandan, seven days’ journey to the south of the second island just described, found Judas sitting alone on a rock in the midst of the sea.[1026] In the course of their conversation, Judas explained that he was imprisoned every day excepting Sundays and Christmas in the mountain which they had seen erupting. On these days, through the infinite mercy of Jesus Christ, he was permitted to come out and cool off. The bishop of Pozzuoli, Gervase of Tilbury tells us,[1027] on several occasions heard the wailings and lamentations of the damned during his walks in the volcanic country near his city and had actually seen the gates of Hell in a lake near by. Icelandic mythology conceived of a gigantic hell under and inside of Mount Hekla.[1028] The _King’s Mirror_ placed in the volcanic fires of Iceland a scene of punishment for souls.[1029] In addition it speaks of a cold hell, belief in which seems natural to Northern peoples and is also expressed in Saxo Grammaticus’ description of the moanings and wailings to be heard in the clashing of ice floes on the cliffs and crags of the Icelandic coast.[1030] CAUSES OF VULCANISM