an," said
Patrick, "who came towards me along Traig-Eothaili, and my foster-son,
Mac-Erca, with them; a wave of the sea made a great dash, and tried to
carry off the youth." This was a prophecy. He (Patrick) went through
the territory of Ui-Oilella, and founded the church eastwards in
Tamhnagh, and it was built by God and men: et ipsa fecit amicitiam ad
reliquias Assici Rodani; et successores eorum epulabantur invicem. Post
hoc autem possuerunt episcopum Cairellum juxta sanctam Ecclesiam in
Tamhnagh, quem ordinaverunt Episcopum Patricii, viz., Bronus et Biteus.
Patrick went afterwards to the fountain, _i.e._, Clibech, on the slopes
of Cruachan, at sunrise. The clerics sat down at the fountain.
Laeghaire Mac Neill's two daughters, viz., Eithne the Fair, and Feidelm
the Red, went early to the fountain to wash their hands, as they were
wont to do, when they found the synod of clerics at the well, with white
garments, and their books, before them. They wondered at the appearance
of the clerics, and imagined they were _fir-sidhe_, or phantoms. They
questioned Patrick. "Whence are you, and whither have you come? Is it
from the _sidhe_? Are you gods?" Patrick said to them, "It would be
better for you to believe in God than to ask regarding our race." The
elder daughter said, "Who is your God, and in what place is he, in heaven
or in earth? is it under the earth, or on the earth, or in seas, or in
streams, or in hills, or in valleys? Has He sons and daughters? has He
gold and silver? Is there a profusion of every good in his kingdom?
Tell us plainly how we shall see Him, and how is He to be loved, and how
is He to be found. Is He young or old? or is He ever-living? Is He
beautiful, or have many fostered His son, or is His daughter handsome,
and dear to men of the world?" St. Patrick, full of the Holy Spirit,
responded, "Our God is the God of all, the God of heaven and earth, the
God of the seas and rivers, the God of the sun and moon, and all the
other planets; the God of the high hills and low valleys; God over
heaven, in heaven, and under heaven; and He has a mansion, _i.e._,
heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them. He
inspireth all things. He quickeneth all things. He enkindleth all
things. He giveth light to the sun, and to the moon. He created
fountains in the dry land, and placed dry islands in the sea, and stars
to minister to the greater lights. He hath a Son, coeternal an