The husband of Saint Patrick's nurse, who had often-times borne him an infant in his arms, being seized with a sudden death, expired. And his wife, with many others of the household, ran thither, and to Patrick, who was standing nigh, bursting into tears, she thus spake: "Behold, O Patrick! thy foster-father, the bearer of thine infancy, lieth dead; show now, therefore, on him thine enlivening virtue, even that which hath been wont to heal others!" And the boy of holy disposition, compassionating the tears of his nurse and the miserable state of his foster-father, approached him lying there lifeless, and he prayed over him and blessed him, and signed him on his head and on his breast with the sign of life, and he embraced him, and raised him up, and restored him unto her alive and safe. And all who beheld this miracle gave praise to God, who worked such works in Patrick.
CHAPTER VIII.
Of the Sheep released from the Wolf.
While Saint Patrick was a little boy, his aunt entrusted him with the care of the sheep, and to these he diligently attended with his aforementioned sister. For in that age no reproach was attached to such employments when the sons of the chief men discharged the duties of a shepherd; as the patriarch Jacob and his sons truly declared before Pharao, that they, like their forefathers, were keepers of sheep; and as the lawgiver Moses and the illustrious King David long time labored in the shepherd's occupation. But as the boy Patrick was one day in the fields with his flock, a wolf, rushing from the neighboring wood, caught up a ewe-lamb, and carried it away. Returning home at evening from the fold, his aunt chided the boy for negligence or for sloth; yet he, though blushing at the reproof, patiently bore all her anger, and poured forth his prayers for the restoration of the ewe-lamb. In the next morning, when he brought the flock to the pasture, the wolf ran up, carrying the lamb in his mouth, laid it at Patrick's feet, and instantly returned to the wood. And the boy gave thanks to the Lord, who, as he preserved Daniel from the hungry lions, so now for his comfort had saved his lamb uninjured from the jaws of the wolf.
CHAPTER IX.
Of the Cow freed from an Evil Spirit, and Five other Cows
restored to Health.
The aunt who had nursed Saint Patrick had many cows, one of which was tormented with an evil spirit; and immediately the cow became mad, and tore with her feet, and butted with her horns, and wounded five other cows, and dispersed the rest of the herd. And the owners of the herd lamented the mishap, and the cattle fled from her fury as from the face of a lion. But the boy Patrick, being armed with faith, went forward, and, making the sign of the cross, freed the cow from the vexation of the evil spirit; then drawing near to the wounded and prostrate cows, having first prayed, he blessed them and restored them all even to their former health. And the cow, being released from the evil spirit, well knowing her deliverer, approached with bended head, licking the feet and the hands of the boy, and turned every beholder to the praise of God and the veneration of Patrick.