“Do not fall on a bed of sloth, Let not thy intoxication overcome thee; Begin a voyage across the clear sea, If perchance thou mayst reach the land of women.” –The Voyage of Bran

There is a tradition in Celtic literature of immrama – stories of sea voyages in which the hero visits various enchanted islands, each with its own supernatural inhabitants or qualities, usually including one ruled by seductive women. These tales often have a spiritual significance as well as being exciting and entertaining. They are an example of how the Celtic imagination entwines two or more threads of meaning into one story, in order to disguise and yet adorn the truth.