After they left this island they were much alarmed by the sight of a griffin flying towards them, but it was killed by another bird which fought it in the air, and its body fell into the sea.  They reached the isle Ailbey in safety, and there passed the midwinter as usual.

The following years are passed over with merely the general statement that they went about much in the ocean, and passed the usual seasons in the usual places.  It is mentioned that one midsummer the sea was so clear for about a week that they could see the marine animals lying at the bottom; and when Brendan sang, these came up and swam round the ship.

It must be, as far as the chronology of the romance can be said to be fixed, intended to be represented as in the February of the seventh year, that the narrative again becomes continuous.  They saw one day a pillar standing in the sea, which appeared to be near them, but which they did not reach for three days.  Its top seemed to pierce the clouds.  At the distance of about a mile it was surrounded on every hand by a sort of network, of a material like silver, but harder than marble.  They drew in the oars and mast, and passed through one of the interstices.  The sea within was as clear as glass, so that they could see the bottom, with the lower part of the pillar and the network resting upon it.  The pillar was of absolutely clear crystal, so that the light and heat of the sun passed through it.  It was forty cubits broad on every side.  On the south side they found a chalice of the material of the network and a paten of the material of the pillar.  After passing again out of the network, they sailed for eight days towards the North, and here begins what may be called the diabolical portion of the story.

They saw one day a wild and rocky island, without grass or tree, but full of smiths’ forges.  The wind bore them past it at about a stone’s throw, and they could hear bellows roaring with a sound like thunder, and hammers striking upon anvils.  Presently they saw one of the inhabitants come out of a cave.  He was shaggy and hideous, burnt and dark.  When he saw the ship, he ran back howling into his workshop.  Brendan immediately bid hoist the sail and have out the oars.  While this was doing the creature appeared again with a glowing mass of fused metal (massam igneam de scoria) in pincers, which he hurled at them.  Where it struck the water about a furlong from them, it made the sea boil and hiss.  They had only escaped about a mile when they saw beings swarming out upon the shore, throwing about molten masses, some after them and some at one another, and then all went back into the forges and set them blazing, until the whole island seemed one mass of fire.  The sea boiled like a boiling cauldron, and all day long the travellers heard an awful wailing.  Even when they were out of sight of the island, the howls still rang in their ears, and the stench made their nostrils smart.  ’And Brendan said, “O ye soldiers of Christ, make you strong in faith not feigned, and in the armour of the spirit, for we are upon the coasts of hell.  Watch, therefore, and play the man."’