Page:The most ancient lives of Saint Patrick - O'Leary.djvu/253

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brightness thereof attracted all who dwelled near to behold and to admire. And the tooth so miraculously discovered is brought unto the saint, and he and all around him offer thanks to the Almighty, who had brought this thing to pass; and on that spot he builded a church, and deposited the tooth beneath the altar. The which is famed for divers miracles, and even to this day is called Cluayn Fiacal—that is, the Church of the Tooth. And the tooth of Saint Patrick, like a radiant star, shone by the same divine grace whereby, at the prayer of Samson, the conqueror of the Philistines, a fountain of water streamed forth from the jaw-bone of an ass. And this church is distant about five miles from the metropolitan city of Ardmachia.


CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

The Saint Prophesieth of the Virgin Treha, and a Veil is placed on her Head by an Angel.

While on a certain time the saint was baptizing in the holy font a chief named Cartanus, together with his wife, he foretold unto the woman that she should bring forth a daughter, unto whom he would give the veil and consecrate a virgin to the heavenly Spouse. And in the appointed time the woman bore a daughter, who at her baptism was named Treha; and when her tenth year was completed, the damsel journeyed toward Saint Patrick for the purpose of her consecration, but a marsh that crossed the way prevented her. Fatigued, therefore, and anxious, she sat upon the bank, and beheld afar off, with a longing