On yet another occasion in the springtime a poor man who dwelt some distance from the monastery of Rahen, came to Mochuda, and asked the loan of two oxen and a ploughman to do a day’s ploughing for him.  But Mochuda, as we have already said, had no cattle, for it was the monks themselves who dug and tilled the soil.  Mochuda summoned one of his labourers named Aodhan whom he ordered to go into the nearest wood to bring back thence a pair of deer with him and go along with them to the poor man to do the spring work for him.  Aodhan did dutifully all that Mochuda bade him—­he found the two deer, went with the poor man and ploughed for him till the work was completed when the deer returned to their habitat and Aodhan to Mochuda.

On another day there came to Mochuda a man troubled by the devil.  Mochuda cured him at once, driving the demons from him and the man went his way thanking God and Mochuda.

Once, when the brethren were at work in the fields and in the kitchen, Mochuda went to the mill to grind meal for the monk’s use, and nine robbers, who hated him, followed with the intention of murdering him.  The chief of the band sent each member of the gang to the mill in turn.  Not one of them however could enter the mill because of a violent flame of fire which encircled the building round about, through the goodness of God protecting Mochuda from the robbers.  The latter, through the mill door, watched Mochuda who slept portion of the time and was awake another portion.  And while he slept the mill stopped of itself, and while he was awake it went of its own accord.  The gang thereupon returned to the chief and told him all they had seen, which, when he heard, he became enraged.  Then he hastened himself to the mill to kill Mochuda.  But he experienced the same things as all the others and he was unable to hurt Mochuda.  He returned to his followers and said to them—­“Let us stay here till he comes out of the mill, for we need not fear that he will call help nor need we fear his arm.”  Shortly afterwards Mochuda came out carrying his load.  The robbers rushed on him, but they were unable to do him any injury for as each man of them tried to draw his weapon his hands became powerless, so he was unable to use them.  Mochuda requested them to allow him pass with his burden and he promised them on his credit and his word that he should return to them when he had deposited the sack in safety.  They took his word and he went, deposited his bag of meal in the kitchen, and returned meekly to martyrdom.  The brethren imagined he had gone to a quiet place for prayer as was his custom.  When he returned to the robbers they drew their weapons several times to kill him but they were unable to do so.  Seeing this wonder they were moved to repentance and they gave themselves to God and to Mochuda for ever and, till the time of their death, they remained under his guidance and rule and many subsequent edifying and famous acts of theirs are recorded.