In the eleventh century <persName xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">Sigurd</persName>, Earl of the Orkney Islands, went with a fleet of ships and a considerable body of troops into Ireland, to the assistance of <persName xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">Sictryg with the silken beard</persName>, who was then making war on his father-in-law <persName xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">Brian</persName>, King of Dublin: the Earl and all his forces were cut to pieces, and <persName xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">Sictryg</persName> was in danger of a total defeat; but the enemy had a greater loss by the death of <persName xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">Brian</persName>, their King, who fell in the action. On Christmas-day (the day of the battle), a native of <placeName xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">Caithness</placeName> in Scotland saw at a distance a number of persons on horseback riding full speed towards a hill, and seeming to enter into it. Curiosity led him to follow them, till looking through an opening in the rocks he saw twelve gigantic figures resembling women: they were all employed about a loom; and as they wove, they sung the following dreadful song; which when they had finished, they tore the web into twelve pieces, and (each taking her portion) galloped six to the north and as many to the south.