Bran and the British Mysteries
Bran and the British MysteriesThe Voyage of Bran is an early example of an Irish 'voyaging' story, and is believed to have been written down around 700 AD, although it has an earlier oral history. It is also believed to have inspired several other tales, which are set in a more explicitly Christian context. This version of the tale includes the main features of the story but only a subset of the verses. The translation used is by K Meyer, with extensive notes by A Nutt (Published 1895).
A woman from unknown lands visited Bran, when his royal house was full of Kings. Bran was out alone and he heard music behind him. As he turned about, the music remained behind him. At last the sweet music lulled him to sleep. On awakening he saw a branch of silver with white blossom lying on the ground next to him. He picked it up and took it home.
In the royal house Bran was with his guests, the gates closed. Suddenly a woman appeared in the middle of the house, dressed in strange raiment. She sang:
A branch of the apple tree from Emain [1]
I
bring like those one knows
Twigs of white silver are on it
Crystal
brows with blossom
She continues to sing of a paradisal land, a distant isle, describing a happy people playing games in various places, such as Mag Findargat (White silver plain), Mag Argatnal (Silver cloud plain), Mag Rein (Plain of the Sea), and Mag Mon (Plain of Sports). Some of the verses are:
Then if Aircthech [2] is seen
On which dragonstones[3] and
crystals drop
The sea washes the wave against the land
Hair of
crystal drops from its mane ...
There are thrice fifty distant isles
In the ocean to the west of
us
Larger than Erin twice
Is each of them, or thrice
She ends her song:
Do not fall on a bed of sloth
Let not your intoxication overcome
you
Begin a voyage across the clear sea
If perchance you may reach
the Land of Women
The woman then left, taking the branch with her. It sprang from Bran's hand to her's and he could not hold on to it.
Next day Bran went to sea with three companies of nine men each. After two days and nights at sea he saw a man in a chariot approaching across the sea. He was Manannan [4] son or Ler. Mannanan told Bran that he was travelling to Ireland where a son would be born to him: Mongan, son of Fiachna.
Mannanan sings: Although it seems to Bran to be the clear sea that he is travelling, to Mannanan it is a flowery plain. He calls it Mag Mon, the plain of sports and Mag Mell, the pleasant of happy plain (which is the Irish elysium):
Speckled salmon leap from the womb
Of the white sea, on which you
look:
They are calves, they are coloured lambs
With friendliness,
without mutual slaughter.
Though you see but one chariot-rider
In Mag Mell of the many
flowers,
There are many steeds on its surface,
Though you do not see
them.
Along the top of a wood
You coracle has sailed, over ridges,
There is a wood of beautiful fruit
Under the prow of your little
skiff.
...
We are from the beginning of creation
Without old age, without
consummation of earth
Hence we expect not that there should be frailty
The sin has not come upon us.
...
It is a law of pride in this world
To believe in the creatures,
to forget God
Overthrown by diseases, and old age,
Destruction of
the soul through deception
He then predicts the coming of Christ and the birth of Mongan (some similarities between them). Mongan is a heroic figure who will be killed at age 50 by 'a dragonstone from the sea'. (Mongan was killed by a slingshot from Arthur at Senlabor). He ends:
Steadily then let Bran row
Not far to the Land of Women
Emne
with many kinds of hospitality
You will reach before the setting of the
sun.
Bran left Mannanan and came to the Isle of Joy. Here all the inhabitants are all gaping and laughing, looking at Bran as he sails around the island, but not responding to his calls. Bran sent a man ashore, but he immediately became like the others, gaping and laughing, and not talking to his fellows.
They left him there and went on to the Land of Women, where the Queen met them as they came to the port and welcomed them. She threw a ball of thread to Bran, and catching it, it cleaved to his hand. The Queen used the thread to pull them into the port. They stayed on the island with the women, feasting and happy, for what seemed like a year, although it was many.
Eventually homesickness seized one of the men, Nechtain. They decided to go back to Ireland, although the Queen warned them against it. She told them not to touch the land, and that they should collect the man left on the Isle of Joy.
On their return they were greeted by the locals, who said that had ancient tales of Bran's famous voyage. Nechtain leapt onto land and is transformed into a pile of ashes, as if he were dead one hundred years. Bran told the people of his wanderings, and then, bidding him farewell, set off again across the sea.