Irish Mythology
The Voyage of Maeldun
12th century, Old Irish. Lebor na hUidre (Book of the Dun Cow), Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, Ireland.
Maeldun and his crew found themselves on an island inhabited by giant ants. Each ant was the size of a foal.
Maeldun and his crew drifted in their boat for three days, on a calm surface in a gentle swell, not knowing whether to take to the oars or to let their course lie with the whim of the currents. And on the third day there came into sight an island, and the noise of gentle surf breaking upon a shore. When Maeldun and his crew landed, they found that the island was inhabited by giant ants, each the size of a foal. And the ants were in no way friendly!
Maeldun turned the boat around and his crew made for the open sea again, as quickly as they could.