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 broken limb so that the sufferer might not die through
excess of pain and loss of blood. All replied that they could not
endure to dress the wound owing to their horror thereof. But there
was one of the company, Daluadh by name, who faced the wound boldly
and confidently and said: "In the name of Christ and of Declan our
patron I shall be surgeon to this foot"; and he said that jestingly.
Nevertheless he bandaged the foot carefully and blessed it aright in
the name of God and Declan, and in a little while the wound healed
and they all gave praise to God. Then Declan said to Daluadh: "You
promised to be surgeon to that foot in Christ's name and in mine and
God has vouchsafed to heal it at these words: on this account you
will be a true physician for ever and your children and your seed