THE ISLE OF RED-HOT ANIMALS.
Not daring to land on this island, they turned away hurriedly, much
disheartened, not knowing whither to turn or where to find a
resting-place. They sailed for a long time, suffering much from hunger
and thirst, and praying fervently to be relieved from their distress. At
last, when they were beginning to sink into a state of despondency,
being quite worn out with toil and hardship of every kind, they sighted
land.
It was a large and beautiful island, with innumerable fruit trees
scattered over its surface, bearing abundance of gold-coloured apples.
Under the trees they saw herds of short, stout animals, of a bright red
colour, shaped somewhat like pigs; but coming nearer, and looking more
closely, they perceived with astonishment that the animals were all
fiery, and that their bright colour was caused by the red flames which
penetrated and lighted up their bodies.
The voyagers now observed several of them approach one of the trees in a
body, and striking the trunk all together with their hind legs, they
shook down some of the apples and ate them. In this manner the animals
employed themselves every day, from early morning till the setting of
the sun when they retired into deep caves, and were seen no more till
next morning.
Numerous flocks of birds were swimming on the sea, all round the island.
From morning till noon, they continued to swim away from the land,
farther and farther out to sea; but at noon they turned round, and from
that to sunset they swam back towards the shore. A little after sunset,
when the animals had retired to their caves, the birds flocked in on the
island, and spread themselves over it, plucking the apples from the
trees and eating them.
Maildun proposed that they should land on the island, and gather some of
the fruit, saying that it was not harder or more dangerous for them than
for the birds; so two of the men were sent beforehand to examine the
place. They found the ground hot under their feet, for the fiery
animals, as they lay at rest, heated the earth all around and above
their caves; but the two scouts persevered notwithstanding, and brought
away some of the apples.
When morning dawned, the birds left the island and swam out to sea; and
the fiery animals, coming forth from their caves, went among the trees
as usual, and ate the apples till evening. The crew remained in their
curragh all day; and as soon as the animals had gone into their caves
for the night, and the birds had taken their place, Maildun landed with
all his men. And they plucked the apples till morning, and brought them
on board, till they had gathered as much as they could stow into their
vessel.