_The Birds of the Mystic Lake._
The incident of the birds coming to the mystic lake is taken from "The
Voyage of Maildun," a translation of which is given in Joyce's Old
Celtic Romances. The operations of the birds were witnessed by Maildun
and his companions, who, in the course of their wanderings, had
arrived at the Isle of the Mystic Lake. One of Maildun's companions,
Diuran, on seeing the wonder, said to the others: "Let us bathe in the
lake, and we shall obtain a renewal of our youth like the birds."
But they said: "Not so, for the bird has left the poison of his old
age and decay in the water."
_Diuran_, however, plunged in, and swam about for some time; after
which he took a little of the water and mixed it in his mouth, and in
the end he swallowed a small quantity. He then came out perfectly
sound and whole, and remained so ever after as long as he lived. But
none of the others ventured in.
The return of the birds in the character of the cormorants of the
western seas and guardians of the lake does not occur in the old tale.
The oldest copy of the voyage is in the book of "The Dun Cow" (about
the year 1100). O'Curry says the voyage was undertaken about the year
700. It was made by Maildun in search of pirates who had slain his
father. The story is full of fancy.