he wrought spread his fame far and wide through Ireland and through
Britain, and multitudes came to him from various parts of those
countries to give themselves to the service of God under his guidance.
In the beginning he refused worldly gifts from others although his
church was honoured and patronised by neighbouring kings and chieftains
who offered him lands and cattle and money and many other things.
Mochuda kept his monks employed in hard labour and in ploughing the
ground for he wanted them to be always humble. Others, however, of the
Saints of Erin did not force their monks to servile labour in this
fashion.

Mochuda was consecrated bishop by many saints and from time to time he
visited his parish in Kerry, but as a rule he remained at Rahen with his
monks, for it is monks he had with him not clerics.

On a certain day in the (early) springtime there came to tempt him a
druid who said to him:--"In the name of your God cause this apple-tree
branch to produce foliage." Mochuda knew that it was in contempt for
divine power the druid proposed this, and the branch put forth leaves on
the instant. The druid demanded "In the name of your God, put blossom
on it." Mochuda made the sign of the cross [over the twig] and it
blossomed presently. The druid persisted:--"What profits blossom
without fruit?" [said the druid]. Mochuda, for the third time, blessed
the branch and it produced a quantity of fruit. The druid said:--
"Follower of Christ, cause the fruit to ripen." Mochuda blessed the
tree and the fruit, fully ripe, fell to the earth. The druid picked up
an apple off the ground and examining it he saw it was quite sour,
whereupon he objected:--"Such miracles as these are worthless since it
leaves the fruit uneatable." Mochuda blessed the apples and they all
became sweet as honey, and in punishment of his opposition the magician