_Of the Images destroyed from Heaven, and of the Fountain produced from
the Earth._
And the King Leogaire, being devoted to the worship of devils, with a
great part of his people who much desired to please him adored a
certain idol magnificently formed of silver and gold, and which was
raised in a field called Maghfleidh. And the idol was named
Ceancroithi--that is, the head of all the gods, for that it was by that
foolish people accounted to utter responses. And around this image
stood twelve inferior gods, made of brass, as if subject unto it.
Therefore Saint Patrick turned toward this place, that he might
overturn the idol, and by his preaching convert its worshippers to the
worship of the Creator. But when he could not prevail, neither could
he recall those idolaters from the folly that was fixed in their minds,
he betook himself to his accustomed arms of prayer. And from a
neighboring hill beholding the idol, he stretched forth in prayer his
spotless hands unto God, and lifted against it the staff of Jesus, when
suddenly, by the power of God, the idol fell on its left side, and all
the silver and the gold poured from it broken and powdered into dust;
but on the hard stone of the image was seen impressed the mark of the
staff, though it had touched it not; and the earth swallowed up the
twelve inferior gods, even to their necks, and their heads continue
above the ground unto this day. Thus what human strength could not
accomplish was done by the divine power; and many beholding it believed
in the true and living God, and being baptized, according to the
apostle, put on Christ, And in that place Saint Patrick by his prayers
produced out of the earth a fountain of the clearest water, wherein
many were afterward baptized.