from the fortress, pail in hand, drew water from the sea and returned, not
answering them when they spoke. When they reached at last the brazen door
and struck upon it, it made a sweet and soothing sound, and they went to
sleep, for three days and nights, as before. On the fourth day a maiden
came who was most beautiful; she wore garments of white silk, a white
mantle with a brooch of silver with studs of gold, and a gold band round
her hair. She greeted each man by his name, and said, "It is long that we
have expected you." She took them into the castle and gave them every kind
of food they had ever desired. Maelduin was filled with love for her and
asked her for her love; but she told him that love was sin and she had no
knowledge of sin; so she left him. On the morrow they found their boat,
stranded on a crag, while lady and fortress and island had all vanished.

Another island on which they landed was large and bare, with another
fortress and a palace. There they met a lady who was kinder. She wore an
embroidered purple mantle, gold embroidered gloves, and ornamented
sandals, and was just riding up to the palace door. Seventeen maidens
waited there for her. She offered to keep the strangers as guests, and
that each of them should have a wife, she herself wedding Maelduin. She
was, it seems, the widow of the king of the island, and these were her
seventeen daughters. She ruled the island and went every day to judge the
people and direct their lives. If the strangers would stay, she said that
they should never more know sorrow, or hardships, or old age; she herself,
in spite of her large family, being young and beautiful as ever. They
stayed three months, and it seemed to all but Maelduin that the three
months were three years. When the queen was absent, one day, the men took
the boat and compelled Maelduin to leave the island with them; but the
queen rode after them and flung a rope, which Maelduin caught and which
clung to his hand. She drew them back to the shore; this happened thrice,
and the men accused Maelduin of catching the rope on purpose; he bade