at supper with his companions.
And at his entrance no one arose excepting a certain bard of the king
named Dubhtach, who devoutly saluted the saint, and besought and
obtained of him that he should be made a Christian. And Dubhtach the
first among them all believed in the Lord, and it was remembered to his
justification; for, being baptized and confirmed in the faith of
Christ, the strains that erewhile he had poured forth in the praise of
his false gods, now converting to a better use, he composed more
excellent poems unto the praise of the All-powerful and the honor of
His saints.

CHAPTER XLV.

_Of the Poison mingled in the Wine._

But the King Leogaire, fermenting with the gall of wickedness and
deceit, knowing and marvelling how often the saint had escaped his
snares, turned himself to other inventions, and whom he could not slay
with the sword he plotted to destroy with poison. Therefore, by the
hand of a certain evil-doer named Lugaich Mael, he gave his cup unto
Patrick, whereof, that servant of Satan mingling poison with the wine,
did the saint drink. But the man of God, taking the cup and invoking
the name of the Lord, bended it forward, and all that was deadly
therein poured he into the hollow of his hand unmixed with the rest of
the liquor; then making the sign of the cross, what remained he
blessed, and, to the confusion of the poisoner and the admiration of
all who sat around, drinking thereout, he received neither hurt nor
damage.

CHAPTER XLVI.

_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 Hol