The incident of the birds coming to the mystic lake is taken from “The Voyage of Maildun,” a translation of which is given in Joyce’s Old Celtic Romances. The operations of the birds were witnessed by Maildun and his companions, who, in the course of their wanderings, had arrived at the Isle of the Mystic Lake. One of Maildun’s companions, Diuran, on seeing the wonder, said to the others: “Let us bathe in the lake, and we shall obtain a renewal of our youth like the birds.”

But they said: “Not so, for the bird has left the poison of his old age and decay in the water.”

Diuran, however, plunged in, and swam about for some time; after which he took a little of the water and mixed it in his mouth, and in the end he swallowed a small quantity. He then came out perfectly sound and whole, and remained so ever after as long as he lived. But none of the others ventured in.

The return of the birds in the character of the cormorants of the western seas and guardians of the lake does not occur 148 in the old tale. The oldest copy of the voyage is in the book of “The Dun Cow” (about the year 1100). O’Curry says the voyage was undertaken about the year 700. It was made by Maildun in search of pirates who had slain his father. The story is full of fancy.