The Latin Irish Lives of Ciaran | Page 9

he would not for anger accept a ransom for him. Thus was
Saint Kiaranus freed from the servitude of the king; and Saint Kiaranus
blessed that man with his tribe, by whom he himself obtained his
liberty.
XXXIII. HOW A PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED
12. On a certain day when Saint Kieranus was in the place called
Cluain Innsythe, he saw a ship floating on the river, and he saw a hut
on the bank of the river. Now there was a platter woven of twigs within
it, full of ears of corn, with fire underneath so that they should be dried

for grinding, as was the custom of the western people, that is, of Britain
and of Ireland. Saint Kyaranus said in prophecy, secretly, to his
companions, "Yonder ship which is on the waters shall be burned
to-day, and the hut which is on land shall be submerged." As they
disputed and wondered, he said, "Wait a little space, and ye shall see it
with your eyes." Forthwith that shiplet was raised from the water on to
the land, and placed in a shed that its leaks and cracks might there be
caulked. But a bonfire having been lit, the shed was consumed, and the
ship in its midst was likewise consumed. But strong men, wrenching
the hut out of the ground, cast it from the bank into the river, and there
it was submerged, as the servant of the Lord prophesied. When they
heard and saw such a prophecy of things contrary, they gave glory to
Christ who giveth such a gift unto his servants.
XV. HOW CIARAN REPROVED HIS MOTHER
13. On another day when Saint Kiaranus had come from the fields to
his home, men came meeting him. To them he said, "Whence have ye
now come?" They said, "We come now from the house of Beoedus the
wright." Said he to them, "Have ye gotten there fitting refreshment for
Christ's sake?" They said, "Nay; but we found there a hard woman who
would not for hospitality give us so much as a drink." When Saint
Kyaranus heard this, he blessed them, and came swiftly to his house,
and entering the house he found no one therein, for its inmates were
busied with their work out of doors. Then blessed Kyaranus, moved
with zeal for God, scattered all the food which he found in the house of
his parents; for[2] the milk he poured on the ground, the butter he
mixed with the sheep's dung, the bread he cast to the dogs, so that it
should be of service to no man. For he was showing that whatsoever
was not given to guests for Christ's name should rightly be devoted by
men to loss, lest such food should be eaten. After a little space his
mother came, and seeing her house thus turned upside-down, she felt
moved to raise an outcry; for she marvelled greatly at what had befallen
her house. When Saint Kiaranus had set forth the reason, she became
calm, and promised amendment; and many of those who heard were
rendered charitable.

XVI. THE BREAKING OF THE CARRIAGE-AXLE
14. On another day when Saint Kyaranus was sitting in a carriage with
his father, the axle of the carriage broke in two in the middle of the
plain; and the father of the saint, with his attendants, was distressed.
Then Saint Kyeranus blessed the axle, and it was forthwith made whole
again as it had been before; and afterwards for the entire day they
travelled in the carriage safely.
XVII. HOW CIARAN WENT WITH HIS COW TO THE SCHOOL
OF FINDIAN
15. After this Saint Kyaranus wished to leave his parents and to go
forth to the school of Saint Finnianus, who was a wise man abounding
in all holiness; so that he might there read the Scriptures, with the other
saints of Ireland who were there. He asked of his parents that a cow
might be led with him to the school, for the sake of her milk to sustain
him; but his mother denied it, saying, "Others who are in that school
have no kine." Then having received the licence and blessing of his
parents--though his mother was grieved, for she wished to have him
always with herself--Saint Kyaranus went on his way.
Coming to the cattle of his parents, he blessed a cow, and commanded
her in the name of the Lord to follow him. Forthwith that cow followed
him with her new-born calf; and wheresoever he would go the cow
walked after him, to the city of Cluayn Irayrd, which is in the boundary
of the Laginenses and Ui Neill. But the city itself lies in the territory of
Ui Neill.
When Saint Kyeranus had come thither, he used to make a barrier in