Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius (Author: unknown)

Historia 24

INCIPIT CONCERNING THE WONDERS OF THE ISLAND OF BRITAIN HERE.

The first wonder of the island of Britain is Loch Lemnon; there are sixty islands and sixty rocks in it, and sixty streams flow into it, and one stream out of it, that is the Leamain.


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The second wonder is the mouth of the stream Tranon, which is filled from the bottom with one wave, and ebbs like every other sea.

The third wonder is the fiery waters.

The fourth wonder is the fountain of salt which is there.

The fifth wonder, i. e. two bubbles of froth at the mouth of the Sabrain.


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They encounter and break each other, and move back again, and come in collision, again, and thus continue perpetually.

The sixth wonder is Loch Heilic, which has no water flowing into it or out of it; and there are different kinds of fishes in it at every side; and it reaches, in its depth, only to a man's knee; it is twenty cubits in length and in breadth, and has high banks.

The seventh wonder, apples upon the ash tree at the stream of Goas.

The eighth wonder, a cave which is in the district of Guent, having wind constantly blowing out of it.

The ninth wonder, an altar which is in Loingraib. It is supported in the air, although the height of a man above the earth.

The tenth wonder, a stone which is upon a carn in Bocuilt, with the impression of the paws of Arthur's dog in it; and though it should be carried away to any part of the world, it would be found on the same carn again.


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The eleventh wonder, a sepulchre which is in the land of Argingi, which one time measures seven feet, another time ten, another time twelve, and another time fifteen feet in length.

The twelfth wonder is a stone in a cataract in Brebic.

The thirteenth is a quern which constantly grinds, except or Sunday, in Machlin in Cul. It is heard working under ground. The well of the grain is in Meadon, that is, a well from which grain flows without ceasing.

There is in the same district a well from which the bones of birds are constantly thrown up.

There are also innumerable birds there on a certain rock, and they dive under the sea as if into the air.

There are also limpets on the rocks there, viz., limpets at Ceoil thirty thousand paces from the sea.

There is a valley in Aengus, in which shouting is heard every Monday night; Glen Ailbe is its name, and it is not known who makes the noise.