How the Saint Escaped the Deadly Snares.
And the king, bidding farewell to the bishop, returned to his palace, and in the several places through which the saint was to pass he laid an ambush; and divers rivers crossed the road, which might in many parts be forded, nigh unto the shallows whereof he placed nine chariots with some of his murderous servants, that if the saint should escape the one he might meet with the other, and so that in no wise could he pass unharmed. But on the morrow Patrick, with eight persons only and the boy Benignus, going in a straight road to Teomaria, where the king then resided, passed through them who had laid snares for his life; and their eyes were bound, that they could not behold him; but to their sight appeared eight stags with one hind passing over the mountains; and thus, the Lord being his protector, did the saint and his companions escape the contrivers of his destruction. Therefore he came unto the royal city, and found the king at supper with his companions. And at his entrance no one arose excepting a certain bard of the king named Dubhtach, who devoutly saluted the saint, and besought and obtained of him that he should be made a Christian. And Dubhtach the first among them all believed in the Lord, and it was remembered to his justification; for, being baptized and confirmed in the faith of Christ, the strains that erewhile he had poured forth in the praise of his false gods, now converting to a better use, he composed more excellent poems unto the praise of the All-powerful and the honor of His saints.
CHAPTER XLV.
Of the Poison mingled in the Wine.
But the King Leogaire, fermenting with the gall of wickedness and deceit, knowing and marvelling how often the saint had escaped his snares, turned himself to other inventions, and whom he could not slay with the sword he plotted to destroy with poison. Therefore, by the hand of a certain evil-doer named Lugaich Mael, he gave his cup unto Patrick, whereof, that servant of Satan mingling poison with the wine, did the saint drink. But the man of God, taking the cup and invoking the name of the Lord, bended it forward, and all that was deadly therein poured he into the hollow of his hand unmixed with the rest of the liquor; then making the sign of the cross, what remained he blessed, and, to the confusion of the poisoner and the admiration of all who sat around, drinking thereout, he received neither hurt nor damage.
CHAPTER XLVI.
Of the Fantastic Snow.
Then, being utterly covered with shame, did the magician more and more grieve; and lest he should appear to be vanquished, he challenged Patrick to bring down signs from heaven. And the saint answered that he would not tempt the divine will; but the magician by his enchantments sprinkled all those parts with the coldest snow, and afflicted all the inhabitants with cold. And the saint urged him, urging and pressing that he would remove the snow from the earth and the cold from the inhabitants; and thus compelled, the magician confessed that by all his enchantments he could not do that thing. Therefore, O impious man! said the saint, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, and prove that thou art the worker of wickedness and minister of Satan; thou who canst cause evil only, and canst not at all produce good. Then raising his consecrated hand, blessed he the plain and all the places around in the name of the Holy Trinity; and forthwith all the fantastic snow which could not melt in the accustomed manner vanished. And all around marvelled, confessing the hand of the Lord working in Patrick, and detesting the deceitful works of the magician.