the morrow Bran set out upon the sea, and three companies of
nine along with him; and one of his foster-brothers and comrades was set
over each company of nine.

And when they had been rowing for two days and two nights, they saw a
man coming towards them in a chariot, over the sea. And the man made
himself known to them, and he said that he was Manannan, son of Lir.

And then Manannan spoke to him in a song, and it is what he said:

"It is what Bran thinks, he is going in his curragh over the wonderful,
beautiful clear sea; but to me, from far off in my chariot, it is a
flowery plain he is riding on.

"What is a clear sea to the good boat Bran is in, is a happy plain with
many flowers to me in my two-wheeled chariot.

"It is what Bran sees, many waves beating across the clear sea; it is
what I myself see, red flowers without any fault.

"The sea-horses are bright in summer-time, as far as Bran's eyes can
reach; there is a wood of beautiful acorns under the head of your little
boat.

"A wood with blossom and with fruit, that has the smell of wine; a wood
without fault, without withering, with leaves of the colour of gold.

"Let Bran row on steadily, it is not far to the Land of Women; before
the setting of the sun you will reach Emhain, of many-coloured
hospitality."

With that Bran went from him; and after a while he saw an island, and he
rowed around it, and there was a crowd on it, wondering at them, and
laughing; and they were all looking at Bran and at his people, but they
would not stop to talk with them, but went on giving out gusts of
laughter. Bran put one of his men on the island then, but he joined with
the others, and began to stare the same way as the men of the island.
And Bran went on rowing round about the island; and whenever they went
past his own man, his comrades would speak to him, but he would not
answer them, but would only stare and wonder at them. So they went away
and left him on that island that is called the Island of Joy.

It was not long after that they reached to the Land of Women. And they
saw the chief one of the women at the landing-place, and it is what she
said: "Come hither to land, Bran, son of Febal, it is welcome your
coming is." But Bran did not dare to go on shore. Then the woman threw a
ball of thread straight to him, and he caught it in his hand, and it
held fast to his palm, and the woman kept the thread in her own hand,
and she pulled the curragh to the landing-pl