The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick/The Life and Acts of St. Patrick/Chapter 46

Of the Fantastic Snow.

Then, being utterly covered with shame, did the magician more and more grieve; and lest he should appear to be vanquished, he challenged Patrick to bring down signs from heaven. And the saint answered that he would not tempt the divine will; but the magician by his enchantments sprinkled all those parts with the coldest snow, and afflicted all the inhabitants with cold. And the saint urged him, urging and pressing that he would remove the snow from the earth and the cold from the inhabitants; and thus compelled, the magician confessed that by all his enchantments he could not do that thing. Therefore, O impious man! said the saint, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, and prove that thou art the worker of wickedness and minister of Satan; thou who canst cause evil only, and canst not at all produce good. Then raising his consecrated hand, blessed he the plain and all the places around in the name of the Holy Trinity; and forthwith all the fantastic snow which could not melt in the accustomed manner vanished. And all around marvelled, confessing the hand of the Lord working in Patrick, and detesting the deceitful works of the magician.