elt on earth as man, but only to suffer and die for
their salvation. And as the maidens listened to his words, their hearts
were kindled with heavenly love, and they inquired further what they
could do to show their gratitude to this great King. In that same hour
they were baptized; and in a short time they consecrated themselves to
Him, the story of whose surpassing charity had so moved their young
hearts.

Their brother also obtained the grace of conversion; and an old Irish
custom of killing a sheep on St. Michael's Day, and distributing it
amongst the poor, is said to date from a miracle performed by St.
Patrick for this royal convert.

Nor is the story of Aengus, another royal convert, less interesting.
About the year 445, the saint, after passing through Ossory, and
converting a great number of people, entered the kingdom of Munster. His
destination was Cashel, from whence King Aengus, the son of Natfraech,
came forth to meet him with the utmost reverence.

This prince had already obtained some knowledge of Christianity, and
demanded the grace of holy baptism.

The saint willingly complied with his request. His courtiers assembled
with royal state to assist at the ceremony. St. Patrick carried in his
hand, as usual, the Bachall Isu; at the end of this crozier there was a
sharp iron spike, by which he could plant it firmly in the ground beside
him while preaching, or exercising his episcopal functions. On this
occasion, however, he stuck it down into the king's foot, and did not
perceive his mistake until--

"The royal foot transfixed, the gushing blood
Enrich'd the pavement with a noble flood."

The ceremony had concluded, and the prince had neither moved nor
complained of the severe suffering he had endured. When the saint
expressed his deep regret for such an occurrence, Aengus merely replied
that he believed it to be a part of the ceremony, and did not appear to
consider any suffering of consequence at such a moment.[127]

When such was the spirit of the old kings of Erinn who received the
faith of Christ from Patrick, we can scarcely marvel that their
descendants have adhered to it with such unexampled fidelity.

After the conversion of the princesses Ethnea and Fethlimia, the
daughters of King Laeghaire, St. Patrick traversed almost every part of
Connaught, and, as our divine Lord promised to those whom He
commissioned to teach all nations, proved his mission by the exercise of
miraculous po