XXV. THE STORY OF CLUAIN (VG)

One of the numerous tales told of the danger of crossing the will of a
saint. It is possibly suggested by Matt, xxi, 28; but it may also be
a pre-Christian folk-tale adapted to the new Faith by substituting a
saint for a druid. On the cursing propensities of Irish saints see
Plummer, VSH, i, pp. cxxxv, clxxiii. A curse said to have been
pronounced by Ciaran on one family remained effective down to the year
1151, where it is recorded by the _Annals of the Four Masters_ (vol.
ii, p. 1096). Another curse of the same saint, and its fulfilment, is
narrated in Keating's History (Irish Texts Society's edn., iii, 52
ff.), and at greater length in the life of the victim, Cellach (_Silua
Gadelica_, no. iv).

Note that Ciaran sends a messenger with his rod to revive Cluain. This
is probably imitated from Elisha sending Gehazi similarly equipped to
raise the Shunammite's son (2 Kings iv, 29).

Cluain's thanks at being delivered from the pains of hell may be
contrasted with the protest of the monk resurrected by Colman (VSH,
i, 260, 265) at being recalled from the joys of heaven--an aspect of
resurrection stories frequently overlooked by the narrators.

_The Stanza in VG._--The metre is _rannaigecht gairit dialtach_ (a
line of three syllables followed by three of seven, with monosyllabic
rhymes _aaba_). The literal rendering is "Cluain agreed to come / to
me to-day for reaping // for an oppressive disease / caused him living
in his house to be dead."

XXVI, XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED WOMEN FROM SERVITUDE (LA, LB, VG)

Tuathal Moel-garb ("the bald-rough") was king in Tara A.D. 528-538. We
have already met with Furbith in incident XIV.

Interceding for captives, with or without miracle, was one of the most
frequent actions attributed to Irish saints: as for instance Brigit
(LL, 1520) and Fintan (CS, 300). Doors opened of their own accord to
Colum Cille (CS, 850). Paulinus of Nola gave himself as a captive in
exchange for a widow's son at the time of the invasion of Alaric in
A.D. 410 (see Smith's _Dictionary of Christian Biography_, vol. iv, p.
239, col. ii, and references there). This explains the allusion in LB.
The woman passing through her enemies is perhaps suggested by Luke iv,
30. The prisoner Fallamain, rescued by Saint Samthann, also passed
unscathed through a crowd of jailers (VSH, ii, 255; compare _ibid._,
p. 259); his chains opened of their own accord, like the doors in
incident XXV