12. Saint Brighid

Little Brighid was busy in the kitchen. She was cooking five tasty pieces of meat for her father's guests who would soon arrive for dinner. They were very important guests, and Brighid hoped that the meal she had so carefully cooked would please them.

As she leaned over her cooking pot she was startled to hear a soft, sad whimper behind her. Looking around she saw a lean and hungry dog sitting on the kitchen floor. Brighid was filled with a pity for the poor animal and gave him the largest of the five pieces of meat.

Suddenly she heard the noise of chariots and loud shouts of greeting. The guests had arrived. Brighid prayed to God for help, for she knew how angry her father would be when he found that some of the meat was missing. Her prayer was granted. When she looked again in the pot she found a larger and more tasty piece of meat than that which she had given to the hungry dog.

" What are you making ? " at length he asked.

" I am making a cross, " Brighid replied. " It was on a great cross of wood that the Son of God dies to save His People. "

The old man was interested : this was Brighid's chance. In a soft low voice she began to tell him of the suffering and death of Christ. As the old warrior listened to her words a peaceful look spread slowly over his face. Before he died he asked to be baptised. Another soul had been brought to God, thanks to Saint Brighid's little cross of rushes.