Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/88

 house and his dinner, and went back to the cross. When Patrick was praying at the cross, "This is a sepulchre," said Patrick; "who was buried here?" A voice answered out of the sepulchre: "I am a poor pagan," it said, "and I was buried here; whilst living, I was injuring my soul until I died; and I was buried here afterwards." "What was the reason," asked Patrick, "that the sign of Christianity&mdash;i.e., the cross&mdash;was placed over thy grave?" "This," answered the voice: "a certain woman that was in foreign lands, and her son was buried here in this country in her absence; and she came from foreign lands, and placed this cross over my grave. She thought it was over the grave of her son it was placed; for she was not able through grief to recognize her son's grave." "This is the reason that I missed the cross," said Patrick&mdash;"i.e., its being over the grave of a pagan." The cross was afterwards raised by Patrick over the Christian's grave.

One time Patrick's charioteer wanted his horses; he could not find them, owing to the darkness of the night. Patrick lifted up his hand; his five fingers illuminated all the place as if they were five torches, and the horses were immediately found.

Patrick went across the Muaidh to Hy-Amhalghaidh; the twelve sons of Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eochaidh, came to meet him, viz., Aengus, Fergus, Fedhlimidh, Enna Crom, Enna Cullom, Connac, Cairbre, Echui Dianimh, Oena, Eoghan Coir, Dubchonall, Ailill of the rough face. The sons of Amhalghaidh were disputing about the sovereignty: twenty-four tribes (i.e., old tribes) that were in the country; and they objected that they would not admit any man asking over them with an additional [nick] name. Aengus then imposed additional names upon his brothers.