Ossian Collection > Waifs and strays of Celtic tradition > Volume 4

OSSIAN AFTER THE FIANS.
The Fians had disappeared, none of them surviving but
Ossian. When he went to Ireland after the Fians, and
lived with St. Patrick, who was married to his daughter,
it was said the daughter was so niggardly to her father
that seven skewers {seacJid deilg) were put by him in
his coat to keep it from hanging too loosely. Patrick
was building a temple^ at this time.
There was a large stone to be put in the temple, so
large that the sixteen masons employed in the work
could not lift it into its place. Ossian said that if he
got the food of the sixteen masons, he would lift the
stone himself The food was prepared, but, from
niggardliness, he only got the food of fifteen, and six
skewers came out of his coat. He was led out, and he
lifted the stone and put it in its place. He then fumbled
over it with his fingers, and returned into the house.
Patrick came to him and said that the stone was not
exactly in its proper bed, and he was to come out and
put it right.
"As it is," said Ossian, "so it will be. If I had got
the meat of the sixteen masons I would have put it
right."
He then called to his grandson to lead him out, as he
had recovered part of his strength. They went on till
they came to a loch, when Ossian said to the boy :
" Do you see a grassy hillock in the loch ? Lead me
to it."
1 All the buildings erected by Saint Patrick seem to have been
temples, as St. Patrick's Temple {Tciiiiipi:ll P/iadriiii^) in Kena-
vara Hill, Island of Tiiee. etc.