The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran: Translations Of Christian Literature. Series V. Lives Of; The Celtic Saints
Religion
The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran: Translations Of Christian Literature. Series V. Lives Of; The Celtic Saints
Ciaran, Saint, abbot of Clonmacnois
(_c_) When it was time for Ciaran to depart from Cluain Iraird, after
learning letters and wisdom, he left the Dun Cow with Saint Ninned;
but he said that her hide should come to him afterwards, and Ciaran
said further, "Though many be succoured by her milk, yet there shall
be more to whom her hide will give succour." And he said, "Every soul
that parteth from its body from the hide of the Dun Cow shall not be
pained in hell."
(_d_) Findian saw a vision of him [Ciaran] and of Colum Cille, namely,
two moons in the air with the colour of gold upon them. One of them
went north-east over the sea, [and the other][27] over the middle of
Ireland. That was Colum Cille, with the glory of his nobility and his
good birth, and Ciaran with the glory of his charity and his mercy.
XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE
21. Thereafter Ciaran went to parley with the King of Ireland, Tuathal
Moel-garb, to ask him for a slave-girl that he had. Ciaran put his
hand on the quern for charity, and he promised that he would serve
in the place of the girl. Then Tuathal gifted the girl to God and to
Ciaran, and further he gave him his kingly apparel, and Ciaran gave it
forthwith to poor folk.
XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED ANOTHER WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE
22. One time Ciaran went to ask another slave-girl of King Furbaide.
Then one man gifted him a cow as an alms, another gifted him a cloak,
and another a kettle. Forthwith on the same day he gave them all to
poor folk; and God gifted to Ciaran three gifts yet better, a cauldron
instead of the kettle, twelve robes instead of the one robe, twelve
kine instead of the one cow. When the king saw that, he gave him the
slave-girl.
XXIX. THE PARTING OF FINDIAN AND CIARAN
23. When the time came for Ciaran to bid farewell to his teacher, he
offers to put his monastery at his service. "Nay," said Ciaran,[28]
"sever not thy monastery for any save for God alone, Who hath given
thee favour beyond us all." ["The monastery I give thee," said
Findian.][29] Ciaran weeps, for he thought it noble of his teacher to
offer him his monastery. "Well, then, let there be unity between us
henceforth," said Findian, "and let him who breaketh that unity have
no part in earth or in heaven." "Be it so," said Ciaran. Then Ciaran
went his way; and Colum Cille uttered this testimony of him--
A wondrous youth from us departs,
Ciaran, craftsman's son;
Of greed, of pride, reviling, lust,
satire, he hath none.
XXXII. CIARAN IN ARAN
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