_The Saint Prophesieth of the Obstinate Fergus and of his Children._
And the saint came unto Assul, which was within the territories of
Midia, where it seemed good to him in a fitting place to build a
church. But a certain wicked man, named Fergus, who therein dwelled,
was to him an especial hindrance, that he might not accomplish his
purpose. Then the saint, willing to express the hard-heartedness of
this man rather by signs than by words, with the staff of Jesus made
the sign of the cross on a stone there placed, and immediately the
surface of the stone appeared divided into four parts, and showed the
form of the cross thereon portrayed. Yet did this man, stiff-necked,
and of heart more hard than stone, refuse to be melted unto penitence;
but his wife, who was then in travail, entreated pardon of the saint,
and fell at his feet. And the saint, beholding him thus hardened in
perverseness, spake unto him with prophetic voice: "Even thus, had it
so willed, could the power of God have dissolved thee at the word of my
mouth. But since thou canst not, nay, wilt not, believe, though the
long-suffering of God hath led thee unto repentance, shalt thou,
according to thine impenitent heart and the hardness of thine
obstinacy, treasure up stores of wrath which right soon shall come upon
thee. Quickly shall God consume thee from the face of the earth, nor
shall any of thy seed reign ever in this land, nor in any other land
shall they prosper, save only the infant alone which thy wife now
beareth in her womb, for on him shall my blessing come." And all these
things which were prophesied of the lips of the saint unto the father
and unto the offspring did happen.