Page:The book of wonder voyages (1919).djvu/126

 "Shall I not take with me one of the necklaces? "

"Nay," said Maelduin, "the house is well guarded."

Howbeit, the foster-brother took the necklace, and carried it as far as the middle of the enclosure. But thither the cat followed them, leaped through the thief like a fiery arrow, and burned him to ashes, after which it returned to its pillar. And Maelduin soothed it with fair words, and put the necklace back in its place, and cleansed the floor of the ashes, which he cast forth on the shore of the sea.

Then they went on board, praising and magnifying God.

Now, on the third day after this, they came in the early morning to another island, in the midst of which was a brass palisade that divided it into two. On either side of the fence was a flock of sheep, black on the one side, on the other white, and in the midst thereof was a big man who kept the flocks apart. When he flung a white sheep among the black it became black, and when he flung a black sheep among the white it became white. This terrified the men in the boat. Then said Maelduin:

"Let us throw two rods on the island, and if they change color it shall be a sign unto us that we too would change color if we land."

So they flung a black-barked rod among the white sheep, and it immediately became white. In like manner they threw a peeled white rod among the black