36. One day the brethren were sore athirst, while they were reaping in
Cluain. They send a messenger to the cleric, that water be brought
to them in the field. Then Ciaran said, "If to-day they would endure
thirst, it would procure great riches of the world for the brethren
who would come after them." "Truly," said the brethren, "we prefer to
exercise patience, whereby profit will be secured for ourselves,
and advantage to the brethren who follow us; rather than to have
satisfaction of our thirst to-day."
A cask full of wine was brought from the land of the Franks to the
steading, to Ciaran, in reward for their patience; and a fragment of
that cask remained here till recently.
When the evening was come, Ciaran blessed a vessel full of water, and
it was changed to choice wine, and was divided among the monks; so
that there was no feast that excelled that feast. For the folk of
Colum Cille came from Í, after a long time, to this city. A feast was
prepared for them, and it was noised abroad through the whole city
that never before or since was there a feast its equal. Then an aged
man who was in the house of the elders said, "I know," said he, "a
feast that was better than this feast. Better was the feast that
Ciaran made for his monks when they were sore athirst,[35] so that he
changed water into wine for them. That it be no story without proof
for you," said the elder, "it was myself who divided that wine, and
my thumb would go over the edge of the cup into the wine. Come and
perceive now the savour of my thumb, which then was dipped into the
wine." They came and were all satisfied with the savour of that
finger. And they said, "Better," said they, "than any feast was that
feast of which the savour remains after a long time on a finger.
A blessing," said they, "on Ciaran and a blessing on the Lord Who
allotted every good thing to him."