my lord! the reason I
have said it is because little do you preach of charity." "Young man,"
said Patrick, "it is for charity that I preach not charity; for if I did
preach it, I would not leave a stud of two chariot horses to any of the
saints, present or future, in this island; for all belong to me and them."

Sechnall went with his hymn to Patrick, and Patrick went along
Belach-Midhluachra into the territory of Conaille. He returned along the
mountain westwards. He met Sechnall. They saluted one another. "I
should like that you would hear a [hymn of] praise which I have made for
a certain man of God," said Sechnall. "The praise of the people of God
is welcome," answered Patrick. Sechnall thereupon began "Beata Christi
custodit," fearing that Patrick would prohibit him at once if he heard
his name. When he sang "Maximus namque," Patrick arose. The place where
he sang so far is called Elda. "Wait," said Sechnall, "until we reach a
secret place which is near us; it is there the remainder will be
recited." Patrick enquired on the way how "Maximus in regno coelorum"
could be said of a man. Sechnall replied: "It [_maximus_] is put for the
positive [_magnus_]," or because he excelled the men of his race of the
Britons or Scoti. They came then to a place called Dal-Muine, where he,
Patrick, prayed and sat; and Sechnall afterwards sang the remainder of
the hymn; and Patrick heard his name, and thereupon thanked him. Three
pieces of cheese, and butter, were brought up to him from a religious
couple--viz., Berach and Brig. "Here is for the young men," said the
woman. "Good," said Patrick. A druid came there, whose name was
Gall-drui ("foreign druid"), who said: "I will believe in you if you
convert the pieces of cheese into stones"; which God performed through
Patrick. "Again convert them into cheese"; and he did. "Convert them
into stones again"; and he did. "Convert them again." Patrick said:
"No, but they will be as they are, in commemoration, until the servant of
God, who is Dicuill of the Ernaidhe, shall come here." The druid
(_magus_) believed.

Patrick flung his little bell under a dense bush there. A birch grew
through its handle. This it was that Dicuill found, the _betechan_,
Patrick's bell--a little iron bell--which is in the Ernaidhe of Dicuill.
And two of the stones made of the cheese are there; the third one was,
moreover, carried by Dicuill to Lughmagh when he was abbot there. It is
to-