"
Then the three pushed out their curragh from the beautiful clear-bayed
shore of Ireland. "What course shall we take first?" said they. "We will
go look for the apples," said Brian, "as they were the first thing we
were bade bring. And so we ask of you, curragh of Manannan that is under
us, to sail to the Garden in the East of the World."
And the curragh did not neglect that order, but it sailed forward over
the green-sided waves and deep places till it came to its harbour in the
east of the world.
And then Brian asked his brothers: "What way have you a mind to get into
the garden? for I think," he said, "the king's champions and the
fighting men of the country are always guarding it, and the king himself
is chief over them." "What should we do," said his brothers, "but to
make straight at them and attack them, and bring away the apples or fall
ourselves, since we cannot escape from these dangers that are before us
without meeting our death in some place." "It would be better," said
Brian, "the story of our bravery and our craftiness to be told and to
live after us, than folly and cowardice to be told of us. And what is
best for us to do now," he said, "is to go in the shape of swift hawks
into the garden, and the watchers have but their light spears to throw
at us, and let you take good care to keep out of their reach; and after
they have thrown them all, make a quick flight to the apples and let
each of you bring away an apple of them in your claws, and I will bring
away the third.
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