Monstres en Mer contains lines 893 to 1062 of The Voyage of Saint Brendan recited in a musical interpretation of the Brendan's early 6th century encounters with Atlantic sea monsters in Benedeit's Anglo Normand version of the story. Below you will find my original rhymed and metered English translation from the Old French.

1. Uns marins serpentz (v. 893 to 924)

Swift, strong winds had kept them abreast
Veering somewhere towards the west.
Then the sea stilled and lost its course,
Which made them row by their own force.
Six full weeks they had to sustain
Then coldness ran all through their veins.
While in their bodies fear crept up,
Their boat was pitching all abrupt.
If this wind had been much stronger
Their boat would have capsized over.
Then what came, made them petrified;
They’d never been so terrified.
Towards them came a marine serpent
Chasing faster than wind current;
Its fire was burning as such:
Just like the mouth of a furnace.
The large flame burning fiery,
Fear of death gives anxiety.
It's body is immensely large;
It howls loud like 15 longhorns.
If the danger was only jaws,
1,500 men wouldn’t dare brawl.
On these waves that its movements made
A storm arose as it swayed ‘n’ swayed.
On the pilgrims it encroaches,
So, Brandan quotes divine verses:
“Good men, do not become doubtful,
Because for us God is vengeful.
Beware this fear’s disparity;
Don’t lose God or prosperity,
Those to whom God is protectful
Needn’t fear any wild animal."


2. Senglantes sunt les undes (v. 925 to 952)

They heard well and to God he prayed.
An answer came without delay.
They saw one more beast head over
To go against the opposer.
As one veered right towards their sail,
The other gave a raging wail.
The one knew its adversary,
Left the boat, turned trajectory.
These two beasts were interlocking
And upward their heads were cropping,
From their nostrils some flames shot out
As to the clouds they flew about.
With their fins they started beating,
And they used their feet like shielding,
Biting teeth were jointly slicing
The way swords in air go flying.
Blood was spurting with each sharp bite
Done by teeth as these bodies fight;
The wounds were many, and profound,
That with blood the waves nearly drowned.
The battle was so atrocious,
That the sea had become thund'rous.
And then the second was the victor;
It became the first one’s killer.
The razor teeth of the second
Ripped and tore it to three sections.
Then the one that that got its vengeance
Returned back to its residence.


3. La Terce Part (v. 953 to 1000)

Man should not become unfaithful,
But should be even more praiseful
When one sees that God readily
Gives all of life’s necessities,
And safety during times of stress,
Wrenches us from the jaws of death.
The abbot told them, “Let us all
Serve the Savior as we are called.”
To which they responded with pleasure:
“We are loved far beyond measure.”
The very next day they saw land.
A prompt arrival was at hand.
They went forward very quickly,
Needing rest, their bodies weary.
They headed towards the island
And pulled their boat onto dry land.
As they arrived onto the earth,
The tempests began to give birth;
Brandan knew rain was forthcoming
And that it would be disturbing.
Against them the winds were raging
And their equipment was failing.
But this fear did not make them stray,
Whatever danger came their way.
The abbot had reassured them such
And God provided just enough,
Nothing could make their beliefs shift
And nothing could push them adrift.
And then, just at the right moment,
A third of the fish pushed current.
The sea waves had pulled it so far
That it came up onto the shore.
The storm hunted it from above,
So it could be gotten hold of.
And Brendan said, “Brothers, see how
Your past enemy is here now
Providing for us by God’s grace
You shall eat during a great space.
Do not have doubt, danger has passed.
This seems the way the die was cast.
Now take as much in good justness
For three months of our sustenance.”
They followed orders directly,
Took provisions sufficiently.
With sweet water from the rivers
They filled to the brim their beakers
And drank enough to quench their thirst,
Then prayed, and set off to traverse.


4. De l'Air Descent (v. 1001 to 1030)


Divine miracles never cease,
A new peril won’t leave in peace.
The first dangers weren’t deficient
But this next was significant.
But the monks were not fearful.
They had God who was protectful.
From the air descends a flaming griffon
Ready to take them with his talon.
And from its throat flames spouted fierce,
And it’s strong claws ready to pierce.
The boat’s boards were just not so tough,
Even one strike would be enough.
Even from just the air and wind
This old boat was gonna unhinge.
As it hunted them above the sea,
A flaming dragon came so clearly:
It flaps its wings, stretches its neck
And towards the griffon it jets.
Above in the air is the fight,
Their flames shooting extremely bright.
Clashes and flames and bites and bangs
The monks are watching every change.
The griffon is big, dangerous,
The dragon, small, but ferocious.
A dead griffon fell to the sea.
Avenged from peril, they were free.
The dragon left, victorious.
For this their God was glorious.
They left this place, continued on,
And they knew they were blessed by God.

5. A Voiz Clere (v. 1031 to 1062)

Then the day of Saint Peter came,
Who was killed in Nero’s domain.
They honored this day of glory
Just like at Saint Peter’s Abbey.
Brendan did the ceremony
Sitting, as was ordinary.
He sang in a voice loud and clear
And so they said for him to hear,
“Please dear father, sing quieter
If not, our lives will expire.
Every wave has such transparence
That where the sea becomes abyss,
Down into the depths we can see
Fish fighting in one big flurry.
We can see fish big and cruel,
Such fish we have never heard tell.
If this noise draws their attention,
Death will be our next condition.”
Smiling he began a lecture,
As he found them all a great fool.
“Sirs, why is there trepidation?
Your faith fell into confusion.
You suffered through worse menaces,
You saw all God’s recompenses.
What’s more, here there is no danger.
Calm your fears.” Brandon disclaimered.
He sang loud and beautifully pure.
So, surfaced many ‘a’ creature.
Next to the boat they were allayed
To celebrate the holiday.
Then they sang until end of day,
And each fish swam back its own way.

Vous pouvez trouver l'histoire entière avec une traduction française ici : saintbrendan.d-t-x.com/Brendan.pdf