The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-25
May Have Been in the Island
in Ancient Times.
THOSE BANlSHED WERE FIGURATlyE
Story of Moses and the Prince
by Godfrey Keating.

1t is great puzzle to many why it is
| that there arc no snakes in Ireland.
though they exist in England across the
channel, where the soil and climate are
about the same. Indeed, OF the two
countries, Ireland seems to be the most
naturally favorable to the existence OF
snakes; where the land is so grassy,
boggy and marshy, says Mr. John
Hoare in the Colorado Catholic.
A Canadian once told me how timid
he felt when walking through the
meadows in Ireland; he could not be
convinced that there were no snakes .
still it is a fact that not only are there
no native snakes in Ireland but foreign
ones cannot be natura1izcd there. No
imported snake can live upon Irish soil
twenty-four hours, SO they say.
| We are accustomed TO all kinds Of
fences. In Ireland we have seen the
stone walls, double bitches" and white
thorn hedges through which small
bird could hardly pass. Here we have
board fences, picket fences, pole fences,
barbcd wire fences; i'll the mountains,
as i'll the timbered districts OF the East
and Canada, we use the famous worn"
fence; and we have read OF the rabbit
| fences i'll New Zealand; but who has
ever heard OF fence to turn" snakes?
The story is told OF such fence being
made by an Irish convict, who became
a wealthy land owner in Australia He
imported ship load OF Irish soil and
with it built snake fence about his
farm; it was not necessary that it should
be very wide or high; all that was re-
quircd was that it form continuous un-
broken line around his land. 1t proved
an effective barrier against the cncroach-
mcnt OF snakes; neither could the snakes
that were on his~land be driven out.
These, however, were all killed off, and
he was the only farmer in the colony
that enjoyed Irish immunity from
snakes.
The belief is common among the Irish
people that snakes once inhabited Ire
land in great numbers, but were ban
ished forever by St. Patrick. History,
however, is not very clear upon this
point. Many legends are told about St.
Patrick and the snakes. One is to the
effect that as St. Patrick approached the
Irish coast he bchcld the island cncirclcd
by ring OF demons i'll the shape OF ser
pcnts. But, perhaps, the chief of all the
tales related about St. Patrick and the
snakes is that OF the meeting of our saint
and the serpent in the ncighborhood OF
Lough Ncagh: ...
Monster" said St. Patrick, address
ing the serpent, "why tarry thou here
when the rest OF thy tribe hath de-
partcd?"
81 am occupying my inheritance" re-
turned the serpent.
Depart" commanded St. Patrick.
"Whitfcr will go?' asked the
snake
"To the lough," said St. Patrick.
For how long?" qucricd the snake.
Until Monday" replied St. Patrick
The monster made no reply, but glid-
ing swiftly towards the great lake, dis
appeared in its depths. But when Mon
day arrived he came forth again from
the bosom Of the lake and glidcd over
the green earth with head erect eyes
aflamc, and breathing fire ST. Patrick
observing him, took the "Bachal Iosa"
(Staf Of Jcsus), advanced to meet him,
and accostcd him thus:
Monster, dost thou dare come forth
again to taint this Christian atmosphere
with your poisonous breath? Did not
order you to yondcr lakc?'
"Only till Monday" answered the ser
pcnt, and is not to-day Monday?"
"Thcrc are many Mondays in year."
replied St. Patrick, "and many years in
century; to-day is the beginning OF the
Christian week, when the sons OF men
may resume their daily labor after their
rest on the Sabbath, but your Monday
will mark the end OF time and the COM
mcnccmcnt of ctcrnity-thcn you may
come forth and gather your harvest; re-
turn, therefore, to the bottom OF the
lake and do not rise nor show your
head again till the Day OF Judgment"
And at St. Patricks command, the
demon went back to the lake, mutterng
as he disannearcd beneath the waxcs