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Show zirriiiiiiii fffMS "When St. Patrick came to Ireland the Pagan King1 Laeghaire ruled at Tara. Holy Saturday, the day before Easter, was the king's birthday, and every year on that morning no fire was rermittcd to be lit in Ireland until the lire f rora the palace at Tara first flamed forth. Et. Patrick stood on the hill of Slane And g-az-ed afar ov'r the dewy land. His heart upraised in a silent prayer, A blazing torch in his holy hand; Then up from the hill of Slane arose A fin me of gold 'twas the pns'-hal fire The King Laeghaire from his palaoe steps Saw it, and deep wa3 his kindly ire. nVho Is the one who has dared to light A fire on hearth or' a fire on hill. When from north to south and from east to west Is known the strength of LaeghairVa will? For on Tara's palace stops must leap A flame to the sky the first that morn, And through all of Erin's greening Isle No other shall rise when the king is born !" HH soldiers stood with swords all drawn Waiting the will of their lord and king, The Druids cried out and their garments' tore At the thought of the deed, a fearful thing; When Laeghaire spoke and to Patrick sent A herald, -who bade him come at noon And tPll why a fire was lit and by whom Ere the rise and fall of another moon. (But upon the way twelve men were hid To murder Patrick, the king them bid.) 'Twas Easter morn, and the rising sun Shone over the fields of greening corn, The Boyne like a silver ribbon lay Glad frisked the lambs that were newly born. Patrick in robes of snowy white Chanted his hymns of praise and love. Twelve priests stood by and with him sang In the hush of morn to God above. Then taking the staff in his holy hand He sped through the dewy scented way, Behind hk:n the priests a-chantlng slow, And none did they see upon the way; j And the twelve that the king had waiting I there I When Patrick's priests went chanting i by, Heard high above them the song of a lark And gazed afar at the shining sky. The king, in his royal robes of state Pat by the gates of the pce grand. His chiefs and nobles were ranged around, His royal scepter was in his hand; He spo'.ce to the Druids as the Saint drew nih. His heart was filled with a fear and a droad; (The twelve In wafting had let him pns) "Let none salute him or bend the head." The chief bard, Dubtach, on Patrick prized And into his soul some strange tiling crept. With head bowed low and hands a-elaped On the floor of stone he slowly knelt; And the warriors all felt some strange awe And none could speak and they held their breath When Patrick told of the Lord above And the things of Life and the things of Death. When Patrick spoke to the Druids that day, From shore to shore on the island green A stupor lay o'er the smiling land. Nor murmured the brooks or willowa green ; And the lark and eagle forgot to soar. And no flower or leaf in Tara stirred. And the king cried out in a voice of fear: "Let him who will believe the Word." And the brave and the wise in that kingly crowd ' Believed in Jesus in Mary's son And Patrick smiled as he blessed them all For the noble fight that was fought and won; But above them all Dubtach the bard His faith a flaming, shining sword For his was the head that howed htm first When Patrick brought them the Holy Word. Katherlne Edelman, in Kansas City Star |