Mochuda's father was a rich and powerful chieftain owning two strong
lioses--one, on the south side of Slieve Mish, and the other, in which
Mochuda first saw the light, beside the River Maing [Maine]. Both
places were blessed for sake of the Saint, who was conceived in one of
them and born in the other; it is even said that no evil disposed or
vicious person can live in either. Carthage in due course was sent to
be baptised, and, on the way, the servant who bore the infant, meeting a
saintly man named Aodhgan, asked him to perform the ceremony. There was
however no water in the place, but a beautiful well, which burst forth
for the occasion and still remains, yielded a supply. With the water of
this well the infant was baptised and Carthach, as the angel had
foretold, was the name given him. Nevertheless 'Mochuda' is the name by
which he was commonly known, because he was so called, through affection
and regard, by his master (St. Carthach Senior). Many scarcely know
that he has any other name than Mochuda and it is lawful to write either
Mochuda or Carthach. Speaking prophetically Aodhgan said of him:--"This
child whom I have baptised will become famous and he will be beloved by
God and men." That prophecy has been fulfilled, for Mochuda was
graceful of figure and handsome of features as David, he was master of
his passions as Daniel, and mild and gentle like Moses. His parents
however despised him because he valued not earthly vanities and in his
regard were verified the words of David:--"Pater meus et mater mea
derliquerunt me, Dominus autem assumpsit me" [Psalm 26(27):10] (For my
father and my mother have left me and the Lord hath taken me up). Like
David too--who kept the sheep of his father--Mochuda, with other youths,
herded his father's swine in his boyhood.

On a certain day as Mochuda, with his companion swineherds and their
charges, was in the vicinity of the River Maing, he heard that the king