Note how the Latin texts soften down the saying attributed in VG to
Colum Cille. A curious incident of disagreement between Ciaran and
Colum Cille is thus related by Colgan (TT, p. 396). "Once there
arose a petty quarrel between Kieranus and Columba, in which perhaps
Kieranus, jealous for the divine honour, appeared either to prefer
himself to Columba, or not to yield him the foremost place. But a good
Spirit, descending from heaven, easily settled the quarrel, whatever
it may have been, in this wise. He held out an awl, a hatchet, and an
axe, presenting them to Kieranus: 'These things,' said he, 'and other
things of this kind, with which thy father used to practise carpentry,
hast thou abjured for the love of God. But Columba renounced the
sceptre of Ireland, for which he might have hoped from his ancestral
right and the power of his clan, before he made offering.'" The same
tale is told in Manus O'Donnell's Life (ed. O'Kelleher, p. 60).
The authorities differ as to the attitude which Colum Cille adopted
with regard to Ciaran. But as regards the other saints of Ireland
there is no ambiguity. The cutting-short of Ciaran's life was one of
the "three crooked counsels of Ireland" according to the glosses to
the _Martyrology of Oengus_ (9th September): the same authority adds
that the saints "fasted for Ciaran's death," as otherwise all Ireland
would have been his. The ancient legal process of fasting was an
inheritance from Pagan times. If A had a case against B, he might, and
under certain circumstances was obliged to, abstain from food till the
case was settled; he was then said to "fast upon B." The idea probably
was that if a litigant permitted his adversary to starve to death, the
angry ghost would ever afterwards disturb his rest. Parallels have
been found in ancient Indian practice. Sometimes B performed a
counter-fast; in such a case he who first broke his fast lost his
cause. But the process seems to have been strangely extended, even in
Christian times, to obtain boons from the supernatural Powers. We read
of a saint "fasting upon God" that a king might lose a battle; and
in _Revue celtique_, vol. xiv, p. 28, there is printed a story of a
childless couple who fasted with success upon the Devil, that he might
send them offspring. Two of the saints--Odran of Letrecha Odrain and
Mac Cuillind of Lusk--went and told Ciaran for what they were fasting:
Ciaran simply replied, "Bless ye the air before me"--the air through
which I must travel in passing heavenwards--"and what ye desire shall
be given you." The _Book of Leinster_ contains a poem attributed
to Saint Ciaran relating to the shortness of his life: as it has
apparently never been printed it is given here with a translation, so
far as the obscurity of the language permits--
An rim, a rí richid ráin corbom etal risin dáil:
co cloister cech ní atber i sanct cech sen, a Dé máir.
(Stay for me, O King of glorious heaven, till I be pure before the
assembly; till everything that I shall speak be heard in the sanctuary
of every blessing, O great God.)
A Mic Maire, miad cen ón ammochomde corric nem,
a ruiri na nangel find, innanfa frim corbom sen?
(O Son of Mary, a dignity without blemish, O my Lord as far as Heaven,
O King of the white angels, wilt Thou stay for me till I am old?)
Attchimse mo guide rutt arbaig Maire diandit Macc
menbad tacrad latt a Ri condernaind ni bud maith latt
(I make my prayer unto Thee, for the love of Mary to whom Thou are
Son, if it be not displeasing in Thy sight, O King, that I may do
somewhat pleasing to Thee.)
Maccan berair rian a ré ní fintar feib ar a mbé
asaóete lenta baeís aggáes cach aés bes nithé
(A young man who is taken before its time, the honour in which he may
be is not discovered: from his youth of following folly, to his age
every company ... (?).)
Ni horta laeg rianáes daim ár cach sen as tressiu achách,
ni horta uan na horc maith ni coilte cr ... [31] a bláth
(A calf is not slaughtered till it is of ox's age, 'tis the ploughing
(?) of every old one which waxes stronger: a lamb or a good pigling is
not slaughtered, the (saffron?) is not plucked till its flower.)
Buain guirt riasiu bas abbuig is m ... cacaid, a Rí rind?
is e in longud riana thráth blath do choll in tan bas find
(To reap a field before it is ripe, is it a right (thing), O King of
stars? It is eating before the time to violate a flower while it is
white.)
Fuiniud immedon laa ni hord baa rian ...
matan in aidche, in dedoil ria na medon cia mó col
(Sunset in midday, no order of profit before...; morning in night,
twilight before its noon, though it be greatest wrong.)
Cluinti itgi notguidiu is mo chridiu deroil dúir
a Mic mo De cianomrodba is bec mo thorba dondúir
(Hear Thou the prayer I pray Thee in the depth of my wretched hard
heart, O Son of my God, although Thou cuttest me off, small is my
profitableness ... )
Duitsi a Mic motholtu cen cope sentu dom churp,
cenambera cen taithlech no co bia maith fe[in] fort
(To Thee, O Son, ... (?), that without my body becoming aged, I be not
taken without reason till I shall myself be good in Thy sight.)
Is fort shnádud cach ambi ria ndula m' chri, a Ri slán,
ic do guide dam cen dichil, an rimm a Rí richid ran
(On Thy protection is every one whereso he is; before departure of my
body, O Perfect King, I am praying Thee without negligence, stay for
me, O King of glorious heaven.)