31.  And when Saint Kiaranus would place with his own hands a corner-post in the first building of that settlement, a certain wizard said to him:  “This hour is not good for beginning; for the sign of this hour is contrary to beginnings of building.”  Then Saint Kiaranus himself set the post in the corner of the house, saying, “Thou wizard, against thy sign I fix this post in the ground; for I care naught for the art of wizards, but in the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ, do I all my works.”  For this the wizard and his followers uttered commendation, marvelling at the faith of Saint Ciaran in his God.

XLIII.  HOW CIARAN SENT A CLOAK TO SENAN

32.  Now when Saint Kiaranus had been in his settlement of Cluain meic Nois, an excellent cloak was gifted to him in alms by a certain man.  Saint Kyaranus was minded to send it to the aforesaid holy elder Senanus, who dwelt in the island of Cathi; but he was not able immediately to find a messenger, because the way from the settlement of Saint Kiaranus of Cluain meic Nois, which is in the middle of Ireland, to the island of Cathi, situate at the entrance of the ocean, was long and rough and difficult, and crossed borders of different kingdoms.  Then at the command of Saint Kiaranus, the cloak was placed on the river Synna, and was sent alone with the river, and it came dry over the waters to the island of Cathi; and no one saw it while it travelled thither.  The Synna flows from the settlement of Cluain meic Nois to the estuary of Luimnech, in which the island of Cathi stands.

And Saint Senanus, filled with the spirit of prophecy, said to his brethren, “Go ye to the shore of the sea, and bring to us with honour the guest there seated, the gift of a man of God.”  And the brethren, asking no questions, made their way to the sea, and found there the cloak, perfectly dry, for it was untouched by the waters.  And the holy elder Senanus accepting it, gave thanks to God; and the cloak was in honourable keeping with Saint Senanus, as though it were a sacred diadem.

XLV.  THE STORY OF CRITHIR

33.  A certain boy of the company of holy Kiaranus, called Crithir of Cluain (a boy of great wit, but hurtful and wanton) fled from Saint Kiaranus to the settlement of Saigyr, in the northern border of Mumonia, that is, the land of Hele, to the other Kiaranus, the most holy aged bishop.  And that boy, sojourning for some days with the holy bishop, after his devilish manner took the drink of the brethren, and poured it over the fire; extinguishing thus the consecrated fire.  Now Saint Kiaranus the elder would have no other fire in his monastery save the consecrated fire, maintained without being extinguished from Easter to Easter.  When Saint Kiaranus the elder heard what the boy Crithir did, it greatly displeased him, and he said, “Let him be chastened for this of God in this life.”  When he heard that Saint Kiaranus the elder was angry with him, he went out from the settlement of Saigyr, and when he was gone a short space from the settlement, wolves met him and killed him; yet they did not touch his body after he was dead, after the likeness of that prophet who was killed by the lion.