had
forty of his fighting men left that had each killed a man of the
foreigners, and they had brought one in alive. And this man told them
news of the country he came from. And when Tadg heard that, he made a
plan in his own head, and he gave orders for a curragh to be built that
would be fit for a long voyage. Very strong it was, and forty ox-hides
on it of hard red leather, that was after being soaked in bark. And it
was well fitted with masts, and oars, and pitch, and everything that was
wanting. And they put every sort of meat, and drink, and of clothes in
it, that would last them through the length of a year.

When all was ready, and the curragh out in the tide, Tadg said to his
people: "Let us set out now on the high sea, looking for our own people
that are away from us this long time."

They set out then over the stormy, heavy flood, till at last they saw no
land before them or behind them, but only the hillsides of the great
sea. And farther on again they heard the singing of a great flock of
unknown birds; and pleasant white-bellied salmon were leaping about the
curragh on every side, and seals, very big and dark, were coming after
them, breaking through the shining wash of the oars; and great whales
after them again, so that the young men liked to be looking at them, for
they were not used to see the like before.

They went on rowing through twenty days and twenty nights, and at the
end of that time they got sight of a high land, having a smooth coast.
And when they reached it they all landed, and they pulled up the curragh
and lit their fires, and food was given out to them, and they were not
long making an end of it. They made beds for themselves then on the
beautiful green grass, and enjoyed their sleep till the rising of the
sun on the morrow.

Tadg rose up then and put on his arms, and went out, and thirty of his
men along with him, to search the whole island.

They went all through it, but they found no living thing on it, man or
beast, but only flocks of sheep. And the size of the sheep was past all
telling, as big as horses they were, and the whole island was filled
with their wool. And there was one great flock beyond all the others,
all of very big rams, and one of them was biggest of all, nine horns he
had, and he charged on Tadg's chief men, attacking them and butting at
them.

There was vexation on them then, and they attacked him again, and there
was a struggle between them. And at the fir