Maeldun the voyager

[blarneyrubble]

This was one of the first books I ever bought at school from the bookclub for (I think) the princely sum of 15 new pence! From what I can remember , it was a story of a man looking to avenge his father who goes on an almost Argonauts-like journey over land and sea. Anybody else remeber the story?

 

[LegendofJoe]

Yes! definitely.
I came across it first in Rolleston's classic Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race.
Maeldun comes across so many strange islands while on his quest.
One place had a ton of treasure and a strange cat. Nothing happened until someone took a gold object and the cat
shot through him like a spear.
Another island had a shepherd that had two types of sheep: black and white. They were kept at two different parts
of the field. If one black sheep bleated, then a white sheep crossed over and became black. Then a black sheep
crossed over and became white. Some scholars believe that this is a representation of the drifting of souls
between this world and the other world.
Maeldun had so many strange adventures like these before his story came to an end.
I read a little here and there, but never a complete version of his adventures.
Argonauts! Eat your heart out.

 

[Pegasus]

I seem to recall in one story, Maledun went to an island and saw a glass bridge. This bridge brought him to the home of a goddess that had a magic pail that was always full of whatever food Maledun wanted. On one Island, he saw an eagle land in the water, then transform back into a young eagle. He saw giants on many of the Islands he visited.