Bran’s Vision and the Call to Adventure
One day, Bran, the High King of Ireland, grew tired of the noise and distractions of his court and sought solitude. While wandering alone, he heard a hauntingly beautiful melody that seemed to follow him no matter where he went. The music lulled him to sleep, and in his dream, a woman from the Otherworld appeared, singing of a wondrous place called the Land of Women, where there was no grief, treachery, or sorrow.
When Bran awoke, he found a silver branch with golden apples in his hand, a token of the Otherworld. That evening, during the feast, the woman from his dream appeared in the hall, visible to everyone. She invited Bran to find her on the Island of Women and then vanished, taking the silver branch with her. Inspired, Bran quickly assembled a crew, including his three foster brothers, and set sail westward into uncharted waters.
Encounters on the Voyage
As they traveled, Bran and his men encountered Manannán mac Lir, the god of the sea, riding his chariot across the waves. Manannán revealed that what Bran perceived as the sea was, to him, a fertile plain with flowers and warriors. He sang of his domain, the Land Under Wave, and told Bran that he was on his way to father a child, Mongan, with a mortal queen. After this mysterious encounter, Bran and his men continued their journey.
They soon arrived at the Island of Joy, where they saw people laughing uncontrollably on the shore. One of Bran’s men ventured onto the island but immediately fell into the same mindless laughter, unable to return to the boat. Bran and the crew called to him repeatedly but eventually gave up and sailed on.
The Island of Women
Bran and his men finally reached the Island of Women, where they were welcomed by the queen from Bran’s vision. Initially cautious, the men stayed aboard their ship, but the queen threw a magical ball of yarn that stuck to Bran’s hand and reeled the boat to shore. On the island, the men lived in luxury: their plates never emptied, their cups were always full, and they spent their days playing games and enjoying themselves. Each man was cared for by a woman, and life seemed perfect.
However, after what felt like a year, one of the men, Nechtan, grew homesick and persuaded the others to return to Ireland. The queen warned Bran that returning home would only bring grief and urged him to avoid setting foot on Irish soil.
The Return to Ireland
As they sailed back, Bran and his crew stopped at the Island of Joy to retrieve their lost companion, who regained his wits as soon as he boarded the ship. When they reached Ireland, they found the land unrecognizable. The forests were gone, the people seemed frail and gray, and no one remembered them. An old man mentioned a tale he had heard as a boy about King Bran, a legend from ancient times.
Ignoring the queen’s warning, Nechtan leaped from the boat to prove they were real, but the moment his feet touched Irish soil, he turned to dust. Realizing they had been gone for centuries and could never return home, Bran carved his story onto stone tablets in Ogham script and cast them ashore. Then, he and his crew sailed away, heading toward the fabled Three Times Fifty Islands of the Otherworld. What became of them remains a mystery.
Bran’s Legacy
The tale of Bran’s voyage is a poignant reminder of the allure and peril of the Otherworld. It speaks of the passage of time, the loss of home, and the enduring mystery of what lies beyond the mortal realm. Bran’s journey remains one of the most celebrated legends in Irish mythology.