white rampart, on which nothing living was to be seen but a small cat,
leaping from one to another of four stone pillars. They found brooches and
ornaments of gold and silver, they found white quilts and embroidered
garments hanging up, flitches of bacon were suspended, a whole ox was
roasting, and vessels stood filled with intoxicating drinks. Maelduin
asked the cat if all this was for them; but the cat merely looked at him
and went on playing. The seafarers dined and drank, then went to sleep. As
they were about to depart, Maelduin's third foster brother proposed to
carry off a tempting necklace, and in spite of his leader's warnings
grasped it. Instantly the cat leaped through him like a fiery arrow,
burned him so that he became ashes, and went back to its pillar. Thus all
three of the foster brothers who had disregarded the wizard's warning, and
forced themselves upon the party, were either killed or left behind upon
the enchanted islands.

Around another island there was a demon horse-race going on; the riders
were just riding in over the sea, and then the race began; the voyagers
could only dimly perceive the forms of the horses, but could hear the
cries of their riders, the strokes of the whips, and the words of the
spectators, "See the gray horse!" "Watch the chestnut horse!" and the
voyagers were so alarmed that they rowed away. The next island was covered
with trees laden with golden apples, but these were being rapidly eaten by
small, scarlet animals which they found, on coming nearer, to be all made
of fire and thus brightened in hue. Then the animals vanished, and
Maelduin with his men landed, and though the ground was still hot from the
fiery creatures, they brought away a boat load of the apples. Another
island was divided into two parts by a brass wall across the middle. There
were two flocks of sheep, and those on one side of the wall were white,
while the others were black. A large man was dividing and arranging the
sheep, and threw them easily over the wall. When he threw a white sheep