_Of the Flesh-meat changed into Fishes._
But Patrick, having now become a monk, forgetting all things that were
past, applied to the future, and, as if little accounting his former
conversation, hastened to the height of perfection. For by incredible
abstinence, by his lengthened fasts, and by the exercise of his other
virtues, he afflicted himself, and continually bore in his heart and on
his body the mortification of that cross which his habit displayed.
But the most high Pastor, who intended to raise him to the head of the
holy Church, that he might learn to think humbly of himself, to walk
with the lowly, and to bear with the weak, permitting him to feel his
own inferiority; so that the more deeply he was fixed on the foundation
of true humility, the more firmly he might stand in the height of
perfection. For a desire of eating meat came upon him, until, being
ensnared and carried away by his desire, he obtained swine's flesh, and
concealed it in a certain vessel, thinking rightly that he might thus
satisfy his appetite privily, which should he openly do he would become
to his brethren a stone of offence and a stumbling-block of reproach.
And he had not long quitted the place when, lo! one stood before him
having eyes before and eyes behind, whom when Patrick beheld, having
his eyes so wonderfully, even so monstrously, placed, he marvelled who
he was, and what meant his eyes fixed before and fixed behind, did
earnestly ask; and he answered, I am the servant of God. With the eyes
fixed in my forehead I behold the things that are open to view, and
with the eyes that are fixed in the hinder part of my head I behold a
monk hiding flesh-meat in a vessel, that he may satisfy his appetite
privily. This he said, and immediately disappeared. But Patrick,
striking his breast with many strokes, cast himself to the earth, and
watered it with such a shower of tears as if he had been guilty of all
crimes; and while he thus lay on the ground, mourning and weeping, the
angel Victor, so often before mentioned, appeared to him in his wonted
form, saying, Arise, let thine heart be comforted; for the Lord hath
put away thine offence, and henceforward avoid backsliding. Then St.
Patrick, rising from the earth, utterly renounced and abjured the
eating of flesh-meat, even through the rest of his life; and he humbly
besought the Lord that He would manifest unto him His pardon by some
evident sign. Then the angel bade Patrick to bring forth the hidden
meats, and put them into water; and he did as the angel bade; and the
flesh-meats, being plunged into the water and taken thereout,
immediately became fishes. This miracle did St. Patrick often relate
to his disciples, that they might restrain the desire of their
appetites. But many of the Irish, wrongfully understanding this
miracle, are wont, on St. Patrick's Day, which always falls in the time
of Lent, to plunge flesh-meats into water, when plunged in to take out,
when taken out to dress, when dressed to eat, and call them fishes of
St. Patrick. But hereby every religious man will learn to restrain his
appetite, and not to eat meat at forbidden seasons, little regarding
what ignorant and foolish men are wont to do.