_The Saint Prophesieth of the Virgin Treha, and a Veil is placed on her
Head by an Angel._
While on a certain time the saint was baptizing in the holy font a
chief named Cartanus, together with his wife, he foretold unto the
woman that she should bring forth a daughter, unto whom he would give
the veil and consecrate a virgin to the heavenly Spouse. And in the
appointed time the woman bore a daughter, who at her baptism was named
Treha; and when her tenth year was completed, the damsel journeyed
toward Saint Patrick for the purpose of her consecration, but a marsh
that crossed the way prevented her. Fatigued, therefore, and anxious,
she sat upon the bank, and beheld afar off, with a longing eye and a
wistful mind, the place where the prelate abided. And he, at the
revelation of the Holy Spirit, knew of the damsel's journey and of her
desire; and he prayed, and removed thence the marsh, and; passing over
with unsoiled feet, he went unto her. And while the saint was
consecrating the virgin Treha, a veil is dropped on her head by the
angel of the Lord, and reaching even unto her lips, covering her eyes;
and the saint stretched forth his hand, willing to remove the veil from
her eyes; but the damsel humbly prevented him, saying, "I beseech thee,
my father, let the veil remain, even as it is placed on the head of
thine handmaid, that mine eyes may no longer behold the vanity of this
world, but rather may, looking inward, contemplate the brightness of
mine heavenly Spouse!" Therefore Patrick, rejoicing at the pious
purpose of the damsel, let fall her veil; and as it was at first placed
on her from heaven, through all her life, covering her eyes like a dove
and her knees like a turtle-dove, it remained as if it were joined to
her face. Thus did the covering of the sacred veil exclude every
alluring object from her eye, lest death should enter therewith.