The Life of St. Mochuda of Lismore | Page 9

them and born in the other; it is even said that no evil disposed or
vicious person can live in either. Carthage in due course was sent to be
baptised, and, on the way, the servant who bore the infant, meeting a

saintly man named Aodhgan, asked him to perform the ceremony.
There was however no water in the place, but a beautiful well, which
burst forth for the occasion and still remains, yielded a supply. With the
water of this well the infant was baptised and Carthach, as the angel
had foretold, was the name given him. Nevertheless 'Mochuda' is the
name by which he was commonly known, because he was so called,
through affection and regard, by his master (St. Carthach Senior). Many
scarcely know that he has any other name than Mochuda and it is
lawful to write either Mochuda or Carthach. Speaking prophetically
Aodhgan said of him:--"This child whom I have baptised will become
famous and he will be beloved by God and men." That prophecy has
been fulfilled, for Mochuda was graceful of figure and handsome of
features as David, he was master of his passions as Daniel, and mild
and gentle like Moses. His parents however despised him because he
valued not earthly vanities and in his regard were verified the words of
David:--"Pater meus et mater mea derliquerunt me, Dominus autem
assumpsit me [Psalm 26(27):10] (For my father and my mother have
left me and the Lord hath taken me up)." Like David too--who kept the
sheep of his father--Mochuda, with other youths, herded his father's
swine in his boyhood.
On a certain day as Mochuda, with his companion swineherds and their
charges, was in the vicinity of the River Maing, he heard that the king
of Ciarraighe Luachra was at his residence called Achadh-di; he waited
on the king by whom he was kindly and politely received. The king,
whose name was Maoltuile and who wished to see Mochuda frequently,
invited the youth to come every day to the royal lios and to bring with
him his companions, who would be made welcome for his sake. One
evening as Mochuda sate in the king's presence Maoltuile gazed so
long and so intently at the youth that the queen (Dand, daughter of
Maolduin Mac Aodha Beannan, king of Munster) reproved her husband
asking why he stared every evening at the boy. "O wife," answered the
king, "if you but saw what I see, you would never gaze at anything else,
for I behold a wondrous golden chain about his neck and a column of
fire reaching from his head to the heavens, and since I first beheld these
marvels my affection for the boy has largely increased." "Then," said
the queen, "let him sit there beside you." Thenceforth the youth sate as
suggested. Sometimes Mochuda herded the swine in the woods and at

other times he remained with the king in his court.
One day as Mochuda was keeping his herd as usual beside the river
already alluded to, he heard the bishop and his clerics pass by, chanting
psalms as they went along. The Spirit of God touched the boy's heart
and leaving his pigs Mochuda followed the procession as far as the
monastery called Tuaim [Druim Fertain] [into which the clerics
entered]. And as the bishop and his household sate down to eat,
Mochuda, unknown to them, concealed himself--sitting in the shadow
of the doorway. Meanwhile the king, Maoltuile, was troubled about the
boy, noticing his absence [from the homestead at Achaddi] that evening
and not knowing the cause thereof. He immediately sent messengers to
seek the youth throughout the country, and one of these found him
sitting, as indicated, in the shadow of the doorway of the bishop's house.
The messenger took Mochuda with him back to the king. The latter
questioned him:--"My child, why have you stayed away in this
manner?" Mochuda replied, "Sire, this is why I have stayed
away--through attraction of the holy chant of the bishop and clergy; I
have never heard anything so beautiful as this; the clerics sang as they
went along the whole way before me; they sang until they arrived at
their house, and thenceforth they sang till they went to sleep. The
bishop however remained by himself far into the night praying by
himself when the others had retired. And I wish, O king, that I might
learn [their psalms and ritual]." Hearing this the king at once sent a
message to the bishop requesting the latter to come to him.
About this time Mochuda's father gave a feast in the king's honour and
as the company were at supper the king calling Mochuda before him
offered him a shield, sword, javelin, and princely robe, saying: "Take
these and be henceforth a knight