he found a wondrous change;

He saw no friendly faces there,

for every face was strange.

The strange men spoke unto him;

and he heard from all and each

The foreign tongue of the Sassenach,

not wholesome Irish speech.

Then the oldest monk came forward,

in Irish tongue spake he:

'Thou wearest the holy Augustine's dress,

and who hath given it to thee?'

'I wear the Augustine's dress,

and Cormac is my name,

[33]

The Abbot of this good Abbey

by grace of God I am.

I went forth to pray, at the dawn of day;

and when my prayers were said,

I hearken'd awhile to a little bird,

that sung above my head.'

 Prev. P 42/46 next