XXXV.  CIARAN IN ISEL

28.  Thereafter he went to his brethren to Isel, and Cobthach son of Brecan gave Isel to God and to Ciaran; and he lived there with his brethren.  One day when he was doing his lesson outside in the field, he went to attend upon his guests, and left his book open till morning under the rain; and not a damp drop fell upon the book.

Once Ciaran was sowing seed in Isel.  A poor man came to him.  Ciaran gives him a handful of the grain into his breast, and the grain was forthwith turned into gold.  A chariot with its horses was gifted to Ciaran by Oengus son of Cremthann.  Ciaran gave it to the poor man in exchange for the gold, and the gold turned into grain, and the field was sown with it.

XXXVI.  THE REMOVAL OF THE LAKE

29.  Moreover there was a lake near Isel, and country-folk and despicable people used to occupy the island that was upon it.  The noise and uproar of those worthless people used to cause disturbance for the clerics.  Ciaran prayed to the Lord that the island should be removed from its place, and that was done.  The place where it was in the lake is still to be seen as a memorial of that miracle.

XXXVII.  CIARAN DEPARTS FROM ISEL

30.  As the brethren could not suffer the almsgiving of Ciaran, so great was it, and as they were envious of him, they said unto him, “Rise and depart from us,” said they, “for we cannot be in the same place.”  Said Ciaran, “Had I been here,” said he, “though this spot be lowly (Isel) in situation, it would have been high in glory and in honour.”  Then he said—­

  Although lowly, it were high,
  Had not censure come me nigh;
  Had I not been censured so,
  It were high though it be low.

Then Ciaran put his books upon a wild stag; afterwards he accompanied the wild stag wheresoever it would go.  The deer went forward to Inis Aingin.  He went into the island and dwelt there.

XXXVIII.  CIARAN IN INIS AINGIN

31.  Then his brethren came to him from every side.  There was a certain archpresbyter in the island, Daniel his name.  Of the British was he, and the devil incited him to be jealous of Ciaran.  A royal cup with three birds of gold was given him by Ciaran as a token of forgiveness.  The presbyter marvelled thereat, and repented, and did obeisance to Ciaran, and gave the island to him.

XXXIX.  THE COMING OF OENNA

32.  Once Ciaran was in Inis Aingin and he heard a cry in the port.  He said to the brethren, “Rise and go for your future abbot.”  When they reached the harbour they found no man save a weak unconsecrated youth.  They tell that to Ciaran.  “For all that, go again for him; it is clear to me from his voice that it is he who shall be abbot after me.”  Thereafter the youth was brought into the island to Ciaran, and Ciaran tonsured him, and he read with him.  That was Enna maccu Laigsi, a holy man, held in honour of the Lord; and it is he who was abbot after Ciaran.