for they thought these were surely the shadows of mighty beings who had lived on the earth long ages before. With slow and heavy footsteps the ancients drew nearer, until they stood before St. Patrick.
They looked at each other in silence, then St. Patrick questioned them:
"Who and what are you?" he asked. "Are you living, or have you returned from the land of the dead?"
"I am Caeilté mac Ronan, a chief of the Fianna Eireann," said the leader of the little band. "My friends were the noble Fionn, brown-haired Diarmuid, and Oscur the brave. Alas, but few of us remain; only Oisin with nine men, I and my nine men: soon we, too, shall join our comrades in the Isles of Promise."
Patrick and his people listened to Caeilté's words with great astonishment, and wondered that any one could live so long. Some of them were inclined to disbelieve him, but the wise Patrick knew that he spoke the truth, and for many months kept Caeilté with him as he travelled to and fro through Ireland.
