him even a fire. Whereupon, appropriately the anger of God fell on them,
who had not compassion enough to supply the disciple of God with a fire.
There came fire from heaven on them to consume them all [together with
their] homestead and village, so that the place has been ever since a
wilderness accursed, as the prophet writes: "civitates eorum
destruxisti" [Psalm 9:7] (the dwellings of the unmerciful are laid
waste).

35. On yet another occasion Declan was in his own region--travelling
over Slieve Gua in the Decies, when his horse from some cause got lame so
that he could proceed no further. Declan however, seeing a herd of deer
roaming the mountain close to him, said to one of his people: "Go, and
bring me for my chariot one of these deer to replace my horse and take
with you this halter for him." Without any misgiving the disciple went
on till he reached the deer which waited quietly for him. He chose the
animal which was largest and therefore strongest, and, bringing him back,
yoked him to the chariot. The deer thereupon obediently and without
effort carried Bishop Declan till he came to Magh Femhin, where, when he
reached a house of entertainment, the saint unloosed the stag and bade
him to go free as was his nature. Accordingly, at the command of the
saintly man and in the presence of all, the stag returned on the same
road back (to the mountain). Dormanach is the name of the man aforesaid
who brought the stag to Declan and him Declan blessed and gave him a
piece of land on the north of Decies close by the Eoghanacht and his
posterity live till now in that place.

36. On another occasion, Declan, accompanied, as usual, by a large
following, was travelling, when one member of the party fell on the road
and broke his shin bone in twain. Declan saw the accident and, pitying
the injured man, he directed an individual of the company to bandage the