with and went with speed to Ciaran. "A blessing
on thee, holy Ciaran," said he, "good is what thou hast done for me;
for I am grateful to have come from the many pains of hell. Now know
we the profit of obedience, and the unprofit of disobedience, and we
know in what great honour the Lord and the folk of Heaven hold thee."
Then he did obeisance to Ciaran, and gave him labour.

XXVIII. ANECDOTES OF CLUAIN IRAIRD

20. (_a_) Certain of the clerks asked of Findian which of them would
lead the prayer when Findian should be no longer here. "Yonder youth
[Ciaran] is he," said Findian. "Thou givest the abbacy to him above
us all," said Brenainn. "It hath been given, it is given, it shall be
given," said Findian. All the saints except Colum Cille were envious
because of this.

(_b_) Then certain of them asked which of the saints should have the
greatest reward in heaven. "Mercy on us," said Ciaran, "that will be
made known in our habitations on earth." Then Brenainn of Birra made a
prophecy of him: "We shall take two habitations," said Brenainn, "on
two streams between chief cities, and the difference that shall be
between the two streams shall be the difference between the size of
the cities."

(_c_) When it was time for Ciaran to depart from Cluain Iraird, after
learning letters and wisdom, he left the Dun Cow with Saint Ninned;
but he said that her hide should come to him afterwards, and Ciaran
said further, "Though many be succoured by her milk, yet there shall
be more to whom her hide will give succour." And he said, "Every soul
that parteth from its body from the hide of the Dun Cow shall not be
pained in hell."

(_d_) Findian saw a vision of him [Ciaran] and of Colum Cille, namely,
two moons in the air with the colour of gold upon them. One of them
went north-east over the sea, [and the other][27] over the middle of
Ireland. That was Colum Cille, with the glory of his nobility and his
good birth, and Ciaran with the glory of his charity and his mercy.

XXVI. HOW CIARAN FREED A WOMAN FROM SERVITUDE

21. Thereafter Ciaran went to parley with the King of Ireland, Tuathal
Moel-garb, to ask him for a slave-girl that he had. Ciaran put his
hand on the quern for charity, and he promised that he would serve
in the place of the girl. Then Tuathal gifted the girl to God and to
Ciaran, and further he gave him his kingly apparel, and Ciaran gave it
forthwith to poor folk.

XXVII. HOW CIARAN FREED ANOTHER WOMAN FROM SE