The National tribune., 1893-03-16

"Si Patrick as in legends told,
The morning being very cold.
In order TO assuage the weather.
Collected bits of ice together;
Then gently breatiied upon the pyre,
When every fragment bazed on fire.
All! If the Saint had been so kind
As to have left the gift behind
To such a ove-lorn wretch as me,
Who daily struggles to be free,
I'd be conteut-eouteHt with part.
I'd only ask to thaw the heart
Tie frozen heart of Polly Roe"
A humble family living near Belfast some
so years ago. were the famed and enved pos
SCISSORS Of the Saints jaw bone inclosed in 8
silver shrine. Originally it contained five
teeth. {though tbs to be hoped that Saint Pat
rick in his lifetime had full set.) but at last
accounts only one was left Three had been
given to as many members of the family who
had emgrated to America and the fourth had
been placed under the altar in the chapel OF
Derriaghy. This interesting relic was alleged
to have supernatural power in deciding the
question of guilt or innocence in a suspected
criminal. The accused one had simply to place
his right hand ON the relic and solemnly swear
In case of guilt, frightful punishment would
Immediately ensue This was no doubt fav
orite tribunal amongst the local law-breaking
class. The jaw bone was also supposed to be of
material assistance to women in labor, as well
as sovereign remedy against epileptic fits and
to ward off the evil-eye. witches, fairies etc.
One of the quaintest and most amt using OF the
familiar legends connected with the Saints
life is that Of his goat Pnck and the thief. Tho
relations existing between the Jealous Patrick
and this intelligent animal seem to have been
much the same as those between Mary and her
little lamb. Wherever the good Saint went,
Puck was sure to be ambIing along behind him,
merrily jingling little silver bell which HING
about his neck. Every one, in fact, knew
Puck, and probably respected him, but his
i'm nd yCn
with his bearded pet at leisure moments But.
alas! one day starving miscreant stole Puck,
and devoured him. Naturally, Saint Patrick
was overcome with grief, though he knew not
yet of the animals apparent untimely end.
When Sunday came around he preached a SER
mon on his woefuI loss. CuriouslY enough the
thief happened to he in the church.
This pathetic tale has been celebrated at
length in an old German poem, and the ex-
citing sequaI may best be told by quoting the
concluding verses freely translated:
" This man for thefts had been suspected long;
The Saint gaz' d on him with frownng brow;
Then with a voice like lions bold and strong,
He cried. Puck, Puck, where art thou? An
swer now
Wonder Of wonders Yet tits truth tell ZEE.
The goat maa'd audibly In the thef's belly"
At this the thief was terror-stricken. Too
well he knew that these uncanny sounds were
something more than the mere protest of na-
waiting for further murmurs he fed, but was
pursued and caught, and then made to tell
where he had hidden the skin. Messengers
were dispatched, and the next moment the
thief was confronted with his victims hide,
propped up in semblance of the original. Now
Saint Patrick approached with stately step,
lifted his crozier, and called out:
&C Come from thy living tomb and end my grief
Come hither, Puck! Thy masters voice obey
Immediately the thief who was as thin
As herring out OF season. gan to swell
Lake big drum, and what an awful din
Was heard inside him tongue can never tell.
His mouth split open, right from ear to ear;
And to the folks delight las did appear),
Out thro' that wide extended door
The pretty goat. whole as before
Sprang forth, and jumped into his ready skin;
Around his master all his antics plying;
While prone the thief fell in commissions dying.
st. Patrick turned him to his congregation.
And spoke with joyful heart his exhortation:
Taught by this warning, meddle not. charge
With anything pertaining TO the clargy'"
By far the brightest jewel in Saint Patrick's
crown and the one by which he will be best
known to the remotest posterity, is assur redly
the famous campaign against the snakes of
ireland. Cogan says the Saint accomplished
this tremendous feat by beating drum un-
tiringly and 80 hard that a hole was knocked
Most opportunely, though, an Angel appeared at
this juncture and mended the drum. The
operation was then continued without further
accident until the last snake had wiggled off
into the sea.
/, There is curious tradition in Tipperary,
however, about monster reptile that was
left behind in the general exodus. 1t is said
that this snake behaved very badly while the
Saint was pounding the drum SO assiduously.
On account of this same unbeaoming conduct
Saint Patrick decided to conflne the beast in
Lough Dilveen, lonely lake in the Gaultic
Mountains. 1t was understood that the hap
less serpent should remain in durance vile
until the following Monday, when he would
follow his fellows into the limbo of the forgot
ten. 1t seems that this little matter slipped
from the worthy Saints mind for on every
Monday morning since, the poor snake has
come to the surface of the lake and uttered
this piaint in Irish " It's long Monday, Pat
rick" Saint Patrick died toward the close of
the 5th century, and is said by some to have
been nearly 125 years old.
Lethe.