Reading Notes: Saints and Animals, Part A
Saint Comgall and the Mice
Source: The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown (1900).
Although the title of this article is Saint Comgall and the Mice, it is actually about Saint Comgall and the Swans. I found this to be very interesting and I am sure there is a reason as to why it is titled this way.
In the town of Bangor where the Irish Sea is at its thinnest, Saint Comgall built a monastery over thirteen hundred years ago. Saint Comgall had many pupils including friends and neighbors. One day Comgall and some of his pupils came across six swans that were swimming in the water. The pupils asked Comgall if they could coax the swans ashore and thinking that the swans would not come, Saint Comgall said yes. The pupils found crumbs of bread and threw them near the swans trying to get them to come ashore. The swans were smarter than that and did not come ashore because they did not know these beings who were messing with them. After watching this commotion for awhile, Comgall walked down to the pond and made a swooning sound at the swans and they scurried right towards him. This was a surprise because Saint Comgall was also a stranger to the swans, however, they came to him. The swans instantly say that Comgall was a lover of animals and that they should not be afraid of him in any way. The stories continue about Saint Comgall and animals.
The word Comgall is actually an Irish word that means "the goodly pledge." More specifically it means the goodly pledge between man and beast.
Saint Comgall and the Mice (cont.)
Source: The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown (1900).
Saint Comgall and his household were very starving during this time because there was a time of famine in Ireland. What made this famine even harder for the household is that there was a great Prince named Croadh who lived in the neighborhood and had houses full of grains and food. However, this man was very selfish and would not even sell his food. An idea came into Comgall's mind after begging Croadh for food. Finally, Comgall decided to carry a silver goblet over to Crouch's palace in order to try and receive some food. Comgall decided to call of the mice to help him during this time of need. During the following night, all of the mice in Bangor went into Crouch's palace and one by one took the grains. The next day Croadh's palace was empty of all grain and Croadh new that this was a way of Comgall punishing a selfish man.
(mouse)
Source: The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown (1900).
Although the title of this article is Saint Comgall and the Mice, it is actually about Saint Comgall and the Swans. I found this to be very interesting and I am sure there is a reason as to why it is titled this way.
In the town of Bangor where the Irish Sea is at its thinnest, Saint Comgall built a monastery over thirteen hundred years ago. Saint Comgall had many pupils including friends and neighbors. One day Comgall and some of his pupils came across six swans that were swimming in the water. The pupils asked Comgall if they could coax the swans ashore and thinking that the swans would not come, Saint Comgall said yes. The pupils found crumbs of bread and threw them near the swans trying to get them to come ashore. The swans were smarter than that and did not come ashore because they did not know these beings who were messing with them. After watching this commotion for awhile, Comgall walked down to the pond and made a swooning sound at the swans and they scurried right towards him. This was a surprise because Saint Comgall was also a stranger to the swans, however, they came to him. The swans instantly say that Comgall was a lover of animals and that they should not be afraid of him in any way. The stories continue about Saint Comgall and animals.
The word Comgall is actually an Irish word that means "the goodly pledge." More specifically it means the goodly pledge between man and beast.
Saint Comgall and the Mice (cont.)
Source: The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown (1900).
Saint Comgall and his household were very starving during this time because there was a time of famine in Ireland. What made this famine even harder for the household is that there was a great Prince named Croadh who lived in the neighborhood and had houses full of grains and food. However, this man was very selfish and would not even sell his food. An idea came into Comgall's mind after begging Croadh for food. Finally, Comgall decided to carry a silver goblet over to Crouch's palace in order to try and receive some food. Comgall decided to call of the mice to help him during this time of need. During the following night, all of the mice in Bangor went into Crouch's palace and one by one took the grains. The next day Croadh's palace was empty of all grain and Croadh new that this was a way of Comgall punishing a selfish man.
(mouse)
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