ering.'" The same
tale is told in Manus O'Donnell's Life (ed. O'Kelleher, p. 60).

The authorities differ as to the attitude which Colum Cille adopted
with regard to Ciaran. But as regards the other saints of Ireland
there is no ambiguity. The cutting-short of Ciaran's life was one of
the "three crooked counsels of Ireland" according to the glosses to
the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (9th September): the same authority adds
that the saints "fasted for Ciaran's death," as otherwise all Ireland
would have been his. The ancient legal process of fasting was an
inheritance from Pagan times. If A had a case against B, he might, and
under certain circumstances was obliged to, abstain from food till the
case was settled; he was then said to "fast upon B." The idea probably
was that if a litigant permitted his adversary to starve to death, the
angry ghost would ever afterwards disturb his rest. Parallels have
been found in ancient Indian practice. Sometimes B performed a
counter-fast; in such a case he who first broke his fast lost his
cause. But the process seems to have been strangely extended, even in
Christian times, to obtain boons from the supernatural Powers. We read
of a saint "fasting upon God" that a king might lose a battle; and
in _Revue celtique_, vol. xiv, p. 28, there is printed a story of a
childless couple who fasted with success upon the Devil, that he might
send them offspring. Two of the saints--Odran of Letrecha Odrain and
Mac Cuillind of Lusk--went and told Ciaran for what they were fasting:
Ciaran simply replied, "Bless ye the air before me"--the air through
which I must travel in passing heavenwards--"and what ye desire shall
be given you." The _Book of Leinster_ contains a poem attributed
to Saint Ciaran relating to the shortness of his life: as it has
apparently never been printed it is given here with a translation, so
far as the obscurity of the language permits--

An rim, a ri richid rain corbom etal risin dail:
co cloister cech ni atber i sanct cech sen, a De mair.

(Stay for me, O King of glorious heaven, till I be pure before the
assembly; till everything that I shall speak be heard in the sanctuary
of every blessing, O great God.)

A Mic Maire, miad cen on ammochomde corric nem,
a ruiri na nangel find, innanfa frim corbom sen?

(O Son of Mary, a dignity without blemish, O my Lord as far as Heaven,
O King of the white angels, wilt Thou stay for me till I am old?)

Attchimse m