The Prophecy

Adzeheads will come over a furious sea, their cloaks head-holed, their staffs crooked. Their tables will be in the East of their houses. They will all answer, "Amen, Amen."

Saint Patrick and the Big Men

It is often told by the people of Ireland how Oisin, son of Finn, came back to Ireland in the time of Patrick; and the poets of Ireland have put into verses the arguments they used to be having with one another. And there are some say Caoilte of the Fianna and a troop of his people were in Ireland at the same time. Patrick was one time singing the Mass at the Rath of the Red Ridge, where Finn, son of Cumhal, used to be, and his clerks were with him. And the clerks saw Caoilte and his people coming towards them, and great fear and terror fell on them before the great men and the great hounds that were with them; for they were not of the one time with themselves.

"[W]hatever they tell, let you write it down on poet's boards, and in the words of poets, for it will be a diversion to the companies and the high people of the latter times to be listening to them."

One time the King of Ulster went up with Caoilte to a great liss that was called Foradh-na-Feinne, the Resting-place of the Fianna. And when they were there, they saw coming towards them a young man that was wearing a beautiful green cloak having in it a silver brooch... "Where do you come from and who are you yourself?" said the King. "I come from the South from the Hill of Bodb Dearg son of the Dagda," said he; "and I am Cascorach, son of Cainchen that is poet to the Tuatha de Danaan and I am the makings of a poet myself."

And they all fell into their sleep listening to the continuous music of the Sidhe. And when Cascorach had made an end of playing, he asked a reward of Patrick... "heaven for myself, and good luck to go with my art and with all that will follow it after me." "I give you heaven," said Patrick, "and I give this to your art, it to be one of the three arts by which a man can find profit to the last in Ireland."

"It was good music you gave us," said Brogan the scribe. "It was good indeed," said Patrick, "and but for a taste of the music of the Sidhe that was in it I never heard anything nearer to the music of heaven."