The Voyagers: Being Legends and Romances of Atlantic Discovery

by Padraic Colum

Contents include: The Tower Above the Ocean / The Legend of Atlantis / The Voyage of Maelduin / The Voyages of Saint Brendan / The Children of Eric the Red / On the Tower / The Great Admiral / The Fountain of Youth / Virginia / The Naming of the Land.

Genres: Childrens, History, Nonfiction, Mythology, Juvenile

188 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1925

About the author

Padraic Colum was an Irish poet, novelist, dramatist, biographer and collector of folklore. He was one of the leading figures of the Celtic Revival. (Source)

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chosen as the sole Newbery Honor Book in 1926 - the medal winner that year was Arthur Bowie Chrisman's Shen of the Sea: Chinese Stories for Children - The Voyagers is the second of Irish author Padraic Colum's three books to be so honored (the first being 1922's The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles , the third 1934's The Big Tree of Bunlahy: Stories of My Own Countryside ). It collects a variety of historical and quasi-historical legends concerning European exploration in the Atlantic, beginning with the The Legend of Atlantis (as related in Plato's Critias and Timaeus ), and continuing through the naming of the American continents for explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

In between are the Irish legends of The Voyage of Maelduin, an 8th century tale concerning a fantastic voyage out into the western ocean made by Maelduin and his companions, and The Voyage of Saint Brendan, whose quest for God's "Fair Land" to the West was a popular medieval tale. Also included are some Norse selections concerning The Children of Eric the Red (Leif the Lucky, Thorwald, Thorstein, Gudrid the Fair), the story of Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the West Indies, of Ponce de Leon's quest for the Fountain of Youth, and of the English "discovery" of Virginia, as told by Captain Barlowe, Captain John Smith, and Ralph Hamar. Colum includes his source material, at the rear.

I enjoyed the earlier mythological and legendary tales that Colum presented in The Voyagers, although I did find myself wishing that he had also included the Welsh legend concerning the voyage of Prince Madoc to the Americas, in the twelfth century. The later tales, concerning the European "discovery" of the Americas, were the sort of white-washed history one would expect from a book published in this era. Columbus comes across as a benevolent father figure, who would never dream of molesting the hapless (and helpless) natives. Colum may have used Columbus' (edited) journals as a source, but he seems to have forgotten to quote the bit where the "Great Admiral" mentions how the natives would make natural servants (read: slaves).

Of course, as already stated, this sort of thing comes as no surprise, given the date of publication, but it does make The Voyagers less palatable to the contemporary reader, perhaps explaining why, although other Colum tales have been reprinted, this one remains out of print. I did enjoy parts of the narrative (hence the two stars, rather than one), and thought Wilfred Jones' color and black and white plates were very attractive, but this is still one I would recommend primarily to the Newbery completist, or to the dedicated Padraic Colum fan.

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Playwright and author Padraic Colum was consistently a factor in the first few years of the Newbery Awards, receiving Honor citations in 1922 (The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles) and 1926 (The Voyagers: Being Legends and Romances of Atlantic Discovery). The latter book centers on a group of scholars who gather with Prince Henry the Navigator to share tales about mankind's history of geographic exploration. The first story regards the mythological continent of Atlantis, populated by a race descended from the Greek gods. Atlanteans gradually come to scorn the attributes that raised them above normal humans, and are cast into oblivion for their ignorance and hubris. What a splendid civilization we lost when Atlantis was humbled, a warning to all societies tempted to repeat the lost continent's fatal error.

Another scholar follows this story with an Irish folktale about a passionate young man named Maelduin. Son of the famed Ailill, but brought up by a foster family and with no awareness of his own lineage, Maelduin eventually finds out his father's identity and goes to meet him, only to learn that Ailill is deceased. Maelduin gathers supplies and a crew for a sea voyage to confront his father's killer, but the well-meaning insistence of Maelduin's three foster brothers to join the expedition scuttles his plan. Maelduin wanders the world, sailing to many exotic islands of danger and intrigue before getting a second chance at justice for Ailill. After this story, a monk stands up in Prince Henry's presence to spin another Irish yarn, about good Saint Brendan. Brendan and his sailors travel the globe, seeing sights none would believe if they weren't themselves witnesses. On Christmas they see Judas Iscariot alone on a frigid island, given reprieve from Hell for one day a year because of a good deed done in life. Brendan later comes to the Radiant Land, a paradise he has sought since his youth. Adventurers of future generations would emulate Saint Brendan's spirit of curiosity and piety.

We shift at this point toward documented history, starting with Leif Erikson, son of Eric the Red. Voyaging out from Norway to unexplored northern lands, Leif has a variety of experiences on the open sea. His brothers are not as lucky as he, perishing in their travels, but Leif lives up to his father's legacy by expanding the range and influence of the Nordic people. And who took up the mantle of colonization next? Christopher Columbus, of course. After persuading King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to fund his voyage to the New World, Columbus survives near-mutiny among his crew en route to their destination. After arriving, Columbus worries that the virtually endless natural resources of the New World won't be sufficient for the king and queen of Spain; they want gold, and the precious metal is not as abundant here as Columbus predicted. Down through the years Columbus has memorable interactions with the Indians, forging relationships that will lead to further European settlements in coming centuries. Columbus is succeeded by Juan Ponce de Leon, preoccupied by his search for the mythical fountain of youth. Years later the Virginia Company of England sails to America, where John Smith and others are the newest generation to have an up-and-down relationship with the natives. A measure of peace is salvaged by the romance of Pocahontas and Master John Rolfe, who fall in love and wed despite their vastly different backgrounds. Of all the conquistadors and pioneers who set off across the sea in search of fame, fortune, and freedom, those who charted a path to the New World turned out to be most important. They ushered in the age of America, a land that transformed human history.

What is this book's actual title? I've seen it as The Voyagers: Being Legends and Romances of Atlantic Discovery and The Voyagers: Being Legends and Histories of Atlantic Discovery in the very same copy of the book. It's not a big deal, but I find it peculiar. The stories are an odd mix of fact and fiction; the uninitiated will have trouble telling the two apart. The narrative style is distant and aloof, the characters hard to keep track of, but the Columbus section has good moments, and the writing moves at a decent pace overall. There aren't many notable quotes, but one about the Atlanteans stands out: "(T)he divine portion in them began to fade away. It became diluted too often and too much with the mortal admixture; human nature got the upper hand. Then they, being unable to bear their great fortune, became insolent and adopted unseemly ways; to him who had eyes to see they began to appear bare, as having lost their fairest and most precious gifts. To themselves they still appeared glorious and blessed, and that at the very time they were filled with unrighteous power." When any people leans on their group identity as an Atlantean, an American, or any other distinction, but is divorced from the good habits and principles that made their group great, they are doomed to deteriorate into a shadow of their ancestors. It's impossible to maintain greatness while cutting the roots of one's own cultural prosperity. The Voyagers isn't one of my favorite Newbery Honor books; I'd rate it one and a half stars, and could round that up or down. If you enjoy old-fashioned storytelling, though, there's bound to be something here for you.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed Colum's other Newbery Book, The Golden Fleece much more than this one. I liked the first stories that were more mythical, but when he started talking about the "Great Admiral" and all the religious guys it was pretty dull. I was happy to finish this one.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another collection of stories, but this one has historical accounts too (last 1/2). They are all re-tellings, but Colum gives his sources in the Notes at the book’s end. The first 2/3 are tales told to Prince Henry the Navigator in his tower above the ocean. The first is the story of Atlantis that a Greek scholar retells from Plato, followed by the story of the voyages of Maelduin of Ireland told by a man who “looked like he might have a sword beneath his cloak”. These voyages are fairly fantastic ones with islands inhabited by magical beasts and tricksy people (I enjoyed these well enough that I’d like to track them down in a more original form). Then follows a monk who tells the story of the voyages of Saint Brendan; these all have a religious undercurrent and God takes an interest in keeping Brendan safe. Then another scholar tells the stories of the children of Eric the Red: Leif the Lucky and the discovery of Wineland/Vinland, Thorwald’s death and burial in the new lands, Thorstein’s attempt to sail there, and daughter-in-law Gudrid’s journey with her new husband Karlsefni. The framing story stops and the book picks up with voyage of Columbus (The Great Admiral), Ponce de Leon’s search for the Fountain of Youth, and the coming to Virginia and encounters with the Indians including Powhatan and Pocahontas. It ends with the naming of the land, America. The second half is very Eurocentric and much what one expects of first contact histories from the 1920s; Columbus is kind to the natives who want to help him (no slaves here!), Ponce is killed by an arrow shot from ambush, and the Indians in VA are duplicitous, so Pocahontas is kidnapped for ransom, but she falls in love with one of her captors, so all is well. I read this for my 2017 Reading Challenge and my Newbery Challenge (Honor Book 1926)

[Shella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to go through a state wide library search to get this book. 1926 Newbery voters must have loved collections/anthologies. There was this book and Shen of the Sea. It barely made three stars for me. I’m judging it through the lens of it’s time. I could imagine it as a bedtime story when there were no digital sources, TV, radios etc. The first two sections are horribly boring. The others, especially Leif the Lucky was much better. It is written with opinions about history during the 1920’s. So unless you are on a Newbery journey- I recommend to skip it- probably skip almost all the 1920-1949 books with a few exceptions.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection very much captures the heart of the search for Atlantis. The pursuit, despite risks, of a legend, a story, and the lure of riches is a very real force. I’m convinced that both C.S. Lewis and Tolkien read of St. Brendan; his voyages contain seeds of the Dawn Treader islands and Tol Eressea. Click below for full review!

https://thatladywhoreadsalot.wordpres...

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with the framing of this book. We start with Price Henry on a boat being told stories, and end with him not on a boat getting official reports. The voyagers discussed are a mix of fact and legend, in unclear amounts, differing for each. Depictions of natives are childlike. This book is a part of the foundation of history that we are still trying to overcome and rectify today.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed parts of this better than others. The framework of the tower was odd, but mostly because it was abandoned for most of the second half-ish of the book. Really the only thing connecting most of these stories was that they were about voyages and you can tell Colum tried to link them through the tower, but it wasn't super successful. Some interesting tales.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Obviously calibrating problematic content for the time period, but even so, it was consistently dull. The best story, hands down, was The Fountain of Youth, not least because Ponce de Leon gets what’s coming to him at the end.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why is Padraic Colum such a Newbery Honor winner? Three of them! Haven't been able to find Big Tree of Bunlahy yet. Not sure I'm looking forward to reading it.

[Desiree']

1926 Newbery honor book

[Angie Lisle · Rating 1 out of 5]

1926 Newbery Honor Book

I groaned when Padraic Colum came up again in my quest to read all the Newbery books. I didn't care for his 1922 honor book, The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles, which may explain why my older relatives skipped reading this book with me.

I will give Colum this: he experiments with tone. I called The Golden Fleece quasi-archaic. The Voyagers is quasi-Biblical in sentence structure and word choice, sounding like something you'd read/hear in Sunday school. (I was also turned off by Christianity at a young age and my elder-relatives may have skipped this book with me to avoid conflicts with Christian-kin).

The majority of this book is just a bunch of dudes sailing around on a boat in territory unbeknownst to them and it's as boring as it sounds.

This collection of myths is a prime example of Christian appropriation of older Celtic and Nordic myths, a calculated retelling to promote the Christian version of history and the Doctorine of Discovery. Bah! I'd rather read real history.

I already know Colum took a 1934 Honor Award with The Big Tree of Bunlahy: Stories of My Own Countryside and I'm not looking forward to reading it.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book of men telling stories to Prince Henry. The first one is about Atlantis. The next one was about Malduin and his men voyaging to different islands, including one where a woman kept bringing them back from the sea with a piece of string. Another man tells the story of Brendan, who goes on a voyage to share God with others, but somehow crosses paths with Judas Iscariot and angels. Another man tells the story of Eric the Red and his sons and their journeys to Wineland. The story of Columbus coming to America for the first time and meeting the natives is elaborated. Ponce de Leon finds the fountain of youth but gets shot with an arrow. Powhatan gives his daughter, Pocahontas, to marry John Rolfe. The new land Columbus found is called America.

I thought this book was okay. It was an interesting concept to have different men tell stories to Prince Henry of different time periods. I always have a challenging time understanding old stories and mythology, so I understood the later stories better than the earlier ones.

[Thomas Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I thought the story was quite dumb. They told some pretty stupid stories about voyages on the Atlantic Ocean. The first was the story of Atlantis (hence the name Atlantic Ocean), but the next two had a lot to be desired. However, at the end of the book the author explained where those stories came from, and they are actual legends, so that made it better. The last half of the book though was quite interesting, describing the Viking discoveries of Vineland (aka North America) followed by the discoveries of Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci. Quite interesting for such an old book, and one that became a history book by the end at that! Still, for making me get through the first chunk, only 3 stars.

[Linds · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by Padraic Colum. (He had another Newbery honor winner in 1922 on mythology that I didn’t have many kind words for.) His bland, basic writing style did not change. Fortunately, it worked better for this book. The adventures were less epic, and there wasn’t a long-term story stretching throughout. For me, the individual tales meshed a lot cleaner with his writing style. Though still written in way that makes me think “Bueller… Bueller… Bueller…", I think it's much more user-friendly.

[Monica Fastenau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/newbery-b...

The many stories in this book are all about ships and exploration and discovering new lands. Some are myths, but Columbus and Magellan also get a mention here. These short stories could make for fun bedtime reading if your kid is especially interested in exploring new worlds.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, but not great. I found myself kind of bored and confused by parts.

[Damaris]

Newbery Honor Book 1926

[Scott Williams]

996316d4-3ba5-48df-9e9a-d2a3753f5063