"Whatever happens, no man of the Church will ever chronicle the heathen doings on this holy isle. The great bones will be sunk in the river, and later generations will forget." (p. 188)
Yet another explanation of how fantastic events could have happened in the past but not be known about now. The city of Ys was under an occult Veil and its chief enemy not only caused the city to be inundated but then systematically demolished even the ruins so that not even a memory would remain. Marco Polo met Doctor Who but did not record it because he thought that no one would believe it.
A Christian widow's curse makes it impossible for Brigit to remain in Ireland so she leaves with Halldor. Happy ending - except maybe for readers who think that she should have remained Christian? We can see how Mananaan got involved but I still don't see how Skafloc's kindred were there.
The end of the framing device is brilliant. Mananaan says:
"'Beware, my friend, of calling upon the unknown. The answer is apt to be endless.'
"Their boat sailed on into the dark." (p. 193)
The unknown, the endless and the dark.
Next: The Merman's Children.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I remember Brigid coming to realize she became a nun for defective reasons, because she was afraid of the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth (very real in those days of primitive medical care).
Sean
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