But on the ledge of the hole that was in the eastern wall of his cell he saw a bird. He leaned his elbow upon the leabhar-aifrionn that was by his side.[3] Then he spoke. [3] The "leabhar-aifrionn" (pron. lyo-ur-eff-runn) is a missal: literally a mass-book, or chapel-book. Bru-dhearg is literally red-breast. "Is there song upon thee, O Bru-dhearg?" Then the Redbreast sang, and the singing was so sweet that tears came into the eyes of Colum, and he thought the sunlight that was streaming from the east was melted into that lilting sweet song. It was a hymn that the Bru-dhearg sang, and it was this: Holy, Holy, Holy, Christ upon the Cross; My little nest was near, Hidden in the moss. Holy, Holy, Holy, Christ was pale and wan: His eyes beheld me singing _Bron, Bron, mo Bron_![4] Holy, Holy, Holy, "Come near, O wee brown bird!" Christ spake: and low I lighted Upon the Living World. Holy, Holy, Holy, I heard the mocking scorn! But _Holy, Holy, Holy_, I sang against a thorn! Holy, Holy, Holy, Ah, his brow was bloody; Holy, Holy, Holy, All my breast was ruddy. Holy, Holy, Holy, Christ's-Bird shalt thou be: Thus said Mary Virgin There on Calvary. Holy, Holy, Holy, A wee brown bird am I: But my breast is ruddy For I saw Christ die. Holy, Holy, Holy, By this ruddy feather, Colum, call thy monks, and All the birds together. [4] "O my Grief, my Grief!" And at that Colum rose. Awe was upon him, and joy. He went out, and told all to the monks. Then he said Mass out on the green sward. The yellow sunshine was warm upon his gray hair. The love of God was warm in his heart. "Come, all ye birds!" he cried. And lo, all the birds of the air flew nigh. The golden eagle soared from the Cuchullins in far-off Skye, and the osprey from the wild lochs of Mull; the gannet from above the clouds, and the fulmar and petrel from the green wave: the cormorant and the skua from the weedy rock, and the plover and the kestrel from the machar: the corbie and the raven from the moor, and the snipe and the bittern and the heron: the cuckoo and cushat from the woodland; the crane from the swamps, the lark from the sky, and the mavis and the merle from the green bushes: the yellowyite, the shilfa, and the lintie, the gyalvonn and the wren and the redbreast, one and all, every creature of the wings, they came at the bidding. "Peace!" cried Colum. "Peace!" cried all the Birds, and even the Eagle, the Kestrel, the Corbie, and the Raven cried _Peace, Peace!_ "I will say the Mass," said Colum the White. And with that he said the Mass. And he blessed the birds. When the last chant was sung, only Bru-dhearg remained. "Come, O Ruddy-Breast," said Colum, "and sing to us of the Christ." Through a golden hour thereafter the Redbreast sang. Sweet was the joy of it.