They start again upon the ocean, and are carried hither and thither, eating once every two days.  At last, on Maundy Thursday, they reach another island, where are many abundant springs full of fish, and flocks of white sheep as large as cattle, sometimes so thick as to conceal the earth.  There they remain until the morning of the Eve of Easter, when they take, and apparently kill and dress, one sheep and one lamb without blemish.  The reference is evidently to an identity of custom with that which still prevails in all the southern countries of Europe, of preparing the flesh of a lamb on Holy Saturday, in honour of the Paschal Lamb, which flesh is blessed on the Saturday, and used to break the fast of Lent on the next day.[3] When all is ready there comes to them a man with a basket of bread baken on the coals—­evidently meaning Passover bread.  This man now becomes a regular although occasional feature in the narrative, and is called their provider (procurator).  He foretells their journey for some time, and how they will be until a week after Pentecost in a place which is called the Eden of Birds.

[Footnote 3:  In Italy at least, in order as far as possible to combine the strict fast of the Saturday with a fulfilment of the words of Ex. xii. 8, ‘And they shall eat the flesh in that night.’  It is usual to have an image of a lamb in sugar or other confectionary, which is also blessed during the day, and eaten at supper.]

Thus furnished, they go to an island close by, which he has pointed out to them as the place where they are to remain until the following noon.  This island is destitute of grass, and with but scanty vegetation, and there is no sand upon its shores.  All goes well until the next day, when they light a fire to boil the pot, whereupon the island becomes restive, and finally sinks into the sea, although they all manage to escape into the ship. ’"Brethren,” saith Brendan, “ye wonder at that which this island hath done.”  “Father,” say they, “we wonder sorely, and great dread hath taken hold upon us.”  He said unto them, “Little children, be not afraid, for God hath this night shown unto me the secret of this thing.  Where we have been was not an island but the first fish of all that swim in the ocean, and he seeketh ever to bring his tail unto his mouth, but he cannot, because of his length.  Jasconius is his name."’

This is the only incident in the whole romance which is actually grotesque.  But from the solemnity with which it is narrated, it is evident that it did not appear to be grotesque to the author.  It seems to have taken the fancy of the early and mediaeval public, and even of the iconographic public in a special degree.  The word whale has commonly been applied to the beast, and as the same episode occurs in the story of Sinbad the Sailor, Jubinal has set himself to speculate how that story, or the Arabian Nights in which it is incorporated, came to be known in Ireland.  I confess I do not