Ciaran, famous all around!
    wealth and wisdom on thee pour! 
  So may, in thy Church renowned,
    knowledge grow yet more and more.

Now this blessing was given fervently to Ciaran through his great love and spiritual exaltation.[25] So that there he left half of the charity, and the nobility, and the wisdom, among the men of Ireland to Ciaran and his monastery.  Moreover Ciaran left wealth to him and to his monastery, so that thence is the wealth of Findian.

That corn sufficed for the congregation of Findian for forty days with their nights; and a third part of it was stored up for sick folk, for it would heal every malady, and neither mouse nor worm dared to destroy it. [It endured a long time][26] until it turned at last to clay.  And every disease for which it was given would be healed.

XXV.  THE STORY OF CLUAIN

19.  One day when Ciaran was collecting a band of reapers, there met him a youth named Cluain.  “Help us at the reaping to-morrow,” said Ciaran.  “I will,” said Cluain.  But when Cluain went home he said to his folk, “Should one come from Ciaran for me,” said he, “say that I am sick.”  When this was told to the lad who went to summon Cluain, he reported it to Ciaran.  When Ciaran heard it he laughed, and he understood that Cluain was practising deception, for he was a prophet of God in truth.  Now when the folk of Cluain went to awake him, thus they found him, without life.  Sorely did his folk bewail him, and there came the people of the neighbourhood to ask them the cause of their weeping.  “Cluain,” said they, “went to his bed in health, and now he is dead; and Ciaran hath slain him with his word, for that he went not to reap for him.”  All those people go to Ciaran to intercede with him for the raising again of the dead:  “we shall all,” said they, “reap for thee, and we shall give our labour and our service to thee and to God for ever, if thou raise the dead for us.”  Then said Ciaran to his servant:  “Rise,” said he, “and take my staff with thee to the dead, and make the sign of the cross with the staff on his breast, and speak this quatrain—­

    Cluain did say
  He would reap with me today;
    Living, by a dread disease,
  Dead within his house he lay.”

Then Cluain arose forthwith and went with speed to Ciaran.  “A blessing on thee, holy Ciaran,” said he, “good is what thou hast done for me; for I am grateful to have come from the many pains of hell.  Now know we the profit of obedience, and the unprofit of disobedience, and we know in what great honour the Lord and the folk of Heaven hold thee.”  Then he did obeisance to Ciaran, and gave him labour.

XXVIII.  ANECDOTES OF CLUAIN IRAIRD

20. (a) Certain of the clerks asked of Findian which of them would lead the prayer when Findian should be no longer here.  “Yonder youth [Ciaran] is he,” said Findian.  “Thou givest the abbacy to him above us all,” said Brenainn.  “It hath been given, it is given, it shall be given,” said Findian.  All the saints except Colum Cille were envious because of this.