19. One day when Ciaran was collecting a band of reapers, there met
him a youth named Cluain. "Help us at the reaping to-morrow," said
Ciaran. "I will," said Cluain. But when Cluain went home he said to
his folk, "Should one come from Ciaran for me," said he, "say that I
am sick." When this was told to the lad who went to summon Cluain,
he reported it to Ciaran. When Ciaran heard it he laughed, and he
understood that Cluain was practising deception, for he was a prophet
of God in truth. Now when the folk of Cluain went to awake him, thus
they found him, without life. Sorely did his folk bewail him, and
there came the people of the neighbourhood to ask them the cause of
their weeping. "Cluain," said they, "went to his bed in health, and
now he is dead; and Ciaran hath slain him with his word, for that he
went not to reap for him." All those people go to Ciaran to intercede
with him for the raising again of the dead: "we shall all," said they,
"reap for thee, and we shall give our labour and our service to thee
and to God for ever, if thou raise the dead for us." Then said Ciaran
to his servant: "Rise," said he, "and take my staff with thee to the
dead, and make the sign of the cross with the staff on his breast, and
speak this quatrain--
Cluain did say
He would reap with me today;
Living, by a dread disease,
Dead within his house he lay."
Then Cluain arose forthwith and went with speed to Ciaran. "A blessing
on thee, holy Ciaran," said he, "good is what thou hast done for me;
for I am grateful to have come from the many pains of hell. Now know
we the profit of obedience, and the unprofit of disobedience, and we
know in what great honour the Lord and the folk of Heaven hold thee."
Then he did obeisance to Ciaran, and gave him labour.