The Brendan task

Introduction: The Story of St. Brendan

(All the underlined words are explained at the end)

Sometime between the yaer 900 and the year 1000, someone wrote down an amazing story. It was written in the Latin language.

The story described ho wan Irish monk called St. Brendan went on a long voyage lasting 7 years to a land called the Land of Promise. We know that Brendan lived in Ireland between (roughly) 486 and 578. There are things in the story that make some peiple think Brendan might have crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached America.

It is quite likely that the story comes from earlier times than 900, but we don’t know that. There are more than 120 versions of the story in Latin and more in other languages. They all say almost the same things.

The Voyage of St. Brendan

(This is a shortened version of the story. Is misses out some of the adventures of St. Brednan and his crew of monks. Allt the underlined words are explained at the end.)

St. Brendan lived at Clonfert in Ireland. He was head of a community of 3000 monks. One day a monk called Barrind visited Brendan and told him about a Land of Promise across the sea in the wwest. It was a wonderful place, special to God.

Brendan decided to go and find this Land of Promise. He and his monks build a boat with a wooden frame, covered in tanned leather. He put food and drink in the boat to last for 40 days, and also spare leather and fat for greasing it.

Brendan set out with 17 other monks and sailed west. After 15 days they landed on a tall rocky island. A dog led them to a settlement, where they found a meal waiting fort hem. They stayed for 3 days without seeing anyone, but food was always set out ont the table for them.

Next they landed on a island with lots of streams, all full of fish. It was called the Island of Sheep, because flocks of sheep roamed over it all year around. A man gave them food.

Then they visited another island that was rocky and bare. They made a fire to cook food, when suddenly the “island” began to move. The monks quickly jumped into theur boat, just in time to see the “island” swim off with the fire still burning. St. Brendan told the monks that it was the biggest fish in the ocean, and iets name was “Jasconius.”

After this the monks sailed to an island called The Paradise of Birds. They hauled their boat almost a mile up a narrow stream, and found a huge tree covered in white birds. A bird flew down and told Brendan that the birds were men’s spirits, and that he would have to search 7 years to find the Land of Promise. The birds sang hymns and chanted prayers at the right times of day. A man called the Steward brought food across tot he monks. (He was the man who had given them food on the island of Sheep.)

The monks were at sea for 3 months before they came to another island. They were so exhausted that they could hardly row the boat against the wind. On the island they found monks wqho had agreed to keep silent (so that they could concentrate on thinking about God). The monks had been there 80 years, and none of them had been ill. They showed Brendan how their lamps were lit by a miraculous flaming arrow each evening.

The monks had many adventures before they found the Land of Promise. Many times they found themselves back at the Island of Sheep. But they still continued their search. Once they found a column of crystal sticking up out of the sea. It was surrounded by a mesh that was the color of silver and as hard as marble. They found an opening in the mes hand took the boat close tot he column. St. Brendan and this monks measured the column. Its four sides were aech 700 yards long. The monks then look hold of the mes hand pulled the boat out tot he open sea.

Another day the monks were blown towards an island, and Brendan was worried. He heard the sound of a forge, with the thud of a hammer on an anvil. As the monks came near the island, an islander came out and threw molten metal and hot stones at them. A lump flew 200 yards over their heads and fell into the sea. The sea round it boiled, and smoke rose up. Then more islanders rushed down th the shore and threw hot stones at the monks. Soon it looked as if the whole island was on fire. The sea boiled, the air was filled with a howling sound, and there was a terrible smell. Brendan told his monks they had reached the edge of Hell. They sailed away as fast as they could.

In the end the Steward from the Isle of Sheep had to help them find the Land of Promise. They left the Isle of Sheep again, and after 40 days at sea they sailed into a great fog. The Steward said the fog always encircled the Land of Promise.

At last they saw a great light, and the boat came to the shore. The land was full of fruit trees. They explored for 40 days, but still did not come to the end of the land they were exploring. Finally they reached a big river, which Brendan said they would not be able to cross. A man came to them, spoke to them by name, and said the land would eventually be made known to all people at a time when Christians were being persecuted. Brendan gathered samples of fruits, and sailed home with his

monks.

Verklarende woordenlijst

Latin

Latin was the language people used for writing in Brendan’s time.

Almost the only people in Europe who could write were Christian

monks and priests. Christian priests continued to use Latin for

most of their writing for more than 1,000 years after Brendan’s

time.

Monk

Monks are men who spend their lives studying God, worshipping

him, and trying to do what God wants. They live together in communities

called monasteries, helping each other and worshipping