The peaceful quiet of a little
town on the west coast of Britain was suddenly broken. With
wild war-cries, a band of fierce pirates from Ireland came
dashing through the street. They captured many boys and girls
and strong young people, able for long hours of hard work in
the fields and on the mountains. Then, taking anything of
value they could find, the raiders led their young captives
to their boats and set sail again for Ireland. Little did
they think that they had among them a boy of sixteen years
who would one day make great changes in their land. Partick
was the boy's name. Today he is honoured as the Patron Saint
of Ireland.
When the boats reached the shores
of Ireland the young captives were led in chains to a
fair-green. There they stood, while rich farmers walked among
them picking out the strongest to serve as slaves. Patrick
was brought by a man named Miliuc. Miliuc returned home with
his young slave and put him minding sheep and pigs on the
mountain slopes od Sliabh Mish.
Patrick spent six long years as a
slave on this wild mountain-side. He was homesick and lonely,
and he prayed that somehow he might be able to return to his
family and friends. Everything here was strange to him. The
Irish people were pagans and had never heard of the True God.
Patrick did not even understand the language they spoke. He
had been brought up as a Christian, and as he herded his pigs
and sheep on the hillside he prayed, some days a hundred
times. The love of God grew within him, and his faith became
stronger day by day. Often in winter he arose before dawn and
knelt to pray, heeless of snow or frost or rain. As the years
went by he learned to speak Irish from the people who came to
talk to him as he watched his animals on the quiet hill.
Patrick looking after his flock.
One night Patrick was told by a
voice in his dreams to arise and go back to his own country.
He must go immediately : a ship was waiting to take him home.
Patrick obeyed. He walked two hundred miles before he found
the ship for which he searched with a boat carrying a caro of
hounds to the continent. But the captain refused to take him
on board, for he knew by his ragged clothes that the boy was
a runaway slave. Patrick sadly turned away and prayed to God
for help. Before he had finished his prayer he heard a sailor
calling him back. The captain had changed his mind : Patrick
could join the crew.
They set sail and after three days
reached the coast of Gaul. But for many miles around the land
had been laid waste by invading tribes. For twenty-eight days
they walked inland, seeking a market for their hounds. But
nowhere did they meet a living creature : the whole
countryside was still deserted. Soon their food was gone and
they were in danger of starvation. The captain challenged
Patrick to pray to his God for help. Patrick did so and
before his prayer was finished a herd of wild pigs came
running towards them. They killed many of these and ate will
that night. All the crew gave thanks to God and from then on
thought highly of their runaway slave.
Soon they found a market for their
hounds and Patrick was free to go his own way. He managed
with difficulty to return to his family and friends in
Britain. They had missed him very much and now wept with joy
to see him safely home again after his many harships.