The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-04-20


face to his entire satisfaction. At
the eager tones of the little boy, he
left his mat before the fire and
sprang into Johnny's lap Here he
turned around twice, before he final
ly settled down to polish off his coal
black paws. The withered old cob
bier looked proudly at his pet, and
without further coaxing began: ''If
your mother told you the Shamrock
tale, then you know Johnny what a
strange people the Druid Kings were,
and what a task it was for st. Pat
rick to convert any of them from
their cruel religion of blood. In
stead of churches they had queer al
tars in the darkest woods, and what
they sacrificed on those same affairs
well, I'll never be the one to tell
you
THE harder the work, the better
st. Patrick liked it, and so when he
heard that there was an old Druid
King in the hills that had heart like
4 lump of stone, he gathered his lit
tie company of helpers and set off to
find him.
Nov this Druid King had one
good fault, and that was hospitality
to whatever stranger came into his
lands. Never a word had he heard of
st. Patrick or his preachins, but
when his shepherds told him that a
handful of men were camped on the
hillside, the Druid King gave orders
that good quarter of a fine fat beef
that had just been killed should be
carried out and presented to the chief
of the strangers with his best wishes"
HE was all right" said Johnny.
Whats that" snapped the cob
bier, not liking any interruption.
We'll and so it was that the Druids
as st. Patrick and his men were Won
dering what were they going to eat
at all. When the quarter was laid at
the feet of the saint, he raised his
two hands to heaven and said,
Thanks be to God!'
THE two who had carried the
meat waited about until they saw a
fire kindled to cook the meat and
! then back they went to the Druid
King. WE'LL says he, and what did
| the chief say when you gave him the
| beef" Sure not word at all to the
two of u.s., answered the men. He
only raised up his hands to the hills
and said, Thanks be to God You
see, Johnny, the ignorant men could
say the words just right, but not bit
of sense did they or their king find
in them.
"'Go back say the Druid King,
| and do you take the chief another
quarter of beef They did so, and
since the knife had not yet been put
into the first quarter to divide it be.
fore roasting it over the fire, st. Pat
rick and his men were filled with
wonder at this second gift. And lift
ing up his two hands to heaven, st
Patrick said again, Thanks be tC
God So the two that had carried
the beef, went back again to the
Druid King, and when he asked them
what did the chief say in return fol
the grand gift, the poor bewildereC
pagans scratched their heads anC
mumoled that the only thing the
chief said was thanks be to God
Perhaps he thinks two quarters
is not enough said the Druid King
Let you go again out into the hills
and take him third quarter of the
beef, and bring me back word of wha
he says
1.-THE men about the Druid's castle
were drawing their eyebrows dow1
over their great black eyes as they
saw the King give away the most par
of what had been meant for a fine
feast, but there wasn't one of then
all that dared take his tongue from
| between his teeth to tell what HI
thought, for a Druid King woult
think nothin' at all of cuttin' half {
dozen of their ugly heads from thei
bodies, if the notion took him!
"Off to the hills went the messen
gers and they carried the third quar-
ter of beef and laid it down at thu
feet of Saint Patrick. His men fel
| upOu LuC1l huCCo OF ouSh WOlOOI, va
the good Saint lifted up his TIVE
hands to heaven and said, Thank!
be to God!'
Nov when the two repeated thi!
to the Druid King, he was filled will
a rage and for a time he hat
thought to go out and Stay the I'm
grateful stranger. Then his curiosit.
about the meaning of those strange
words got the better of his anger, ant
so with roar to his men to follow
him with the last quarter of the fin
beef, the old Druid King led the wa.
into the hills. There they found st
Patrick and his small band maxim:
. ready to cook the first quarter o
beef Here roared the Druid King
now you have the three quarters 0
my beef, take you the rest of it. AM
now what do you say to that?'
st Patrick looked at the grea
heap of meat, and at the red face o
the old Druid surrounded by hi
fierce men, and he lifted up his tw'
hands to heaven and says he, Thank
be to God!' For the love of good
ness said the Druid King, and will
you tell me whatever do you NEAR
by those words. They're neither golt
nor silver, and no fit return for TIL
i II i 4 IL -