The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick/The Life and Acts of St. Patrick/Chapter 32

How a Fierce Dog was suddenly Tamed; of the Conversion of Dichu; and how a Fountain rose out of the Earth.

But the chief King of Ireland, named Leogaire, the son of Neyll, recollecting the prophecy, gave command unto his subjects that as soon as Patrick should land they should forthwith expel him from the country. And the saint, being then in the harbor called Innbherslan, went alone out of the ship, and immediately the people, infidel and dog-like in their manners, excited a very fierce dog to bite him even unto death. But the dog, being at the sight of the man of God entirely stiffened like a stone, stood fixed and without motion, plainly showing that the worshippers of stones were like unto the gods which they worshipped. The which, when a certain man named Dichu, who was powerful of strength, gigantic of stature, and savage of mind, beheld, he brandished his sword to destroy the saint. But the Lord interposed His protecting arm, and all his strength withered in him, and he entirely stiffened, so that he could move neither his foot to go forward nor his hand to strike. And he, experiencing in himself such a miracle, suddenly is changed into another man, and from proud becoming humble, mild from fierce, from an infidel a believer, he is, with all his household, at the preaching of Patrick, baptized in the Christian faith. Thus he who had been in that country its first and principal opposer became its first professor, and even to his latest age continued its most devoted follower. And as his soul was loosed from the chains of sin, so were his limbs loosed from their heaviness, and all their strength was restored unto him. Behold, therefore, the miracle which the Book of Kings relates to have been formerly wrought on Jeroboam did Patrick more profitably renew on Dichu; for when that king was sacrificing unto idols, and stretched out his hand to seize on the prophet who was reproving him, forthwith his arm stiffened, which on his repentance the prophet healed, yet did not he when healed forsake his error; but Dichu, for the increase and for the evidence of his devotion toward his new faith, gave unto Saint Patrick the place wherein this miracle had been declared, to erect thereon a new church.

In this place, at the request of Dichu (but for what cause I know not), did the saint build the church, having its aspect against the north, and looking toward the southern point. Perchance that by this mystical structure the worshippers of idols might be persuaded from the northern coldness of unbelief unto the meridian fervor of the faith and the charity of Christ&mdash;the which to this day is called Sabhall Phadruig, that is, the Barn of Patrick; for in process of time he builded there a fair monastery, into which he introduced monks that had passed their novitiate; and for their use he not long afterward, by his prayers, produced a fountain out of the earth. Of this monastery did he appoint his disciple, Saint Dunnius, to be the abbot, wherein when he had returned from his mission, he abided with him not a few days.