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els cannot touch you as they pass over your heads； where the hair of demons cannot sweep about you as they pass under your feet； i lay upon you a curse； and change you to an example for ever and ever； you shall bee grey herons and stand pondering in grey pools and flit over the world in that hour when it is most full of sighs； having forgotten the flame of the stars and not yet found the flame of the sun； and you shall preach to the other herons until they also are like you； and are an example for ever and ever； and your deaths shall e to you by chance and unforeseen； that no fire of certainty may visit your hearts。〃
the voice of the old man of learning became still； but the voteen bent over his gun with his eyes upon the ground； trying in vain to understand something of this tale； and he had so bent； it may be for a long time； had not a tug at his rosary made him start out of his dream。 the old man of learning had crawled along the grass； and was now trying to draw the cross down low enough for his lips to reach it。
you must not touch my blessed beads； cried the voteen； and struck the long withered fingers with the barrel of his gun。 he need not have trembled； for the old man fell back upon the grass with a sigh and was still。 he bent down and began to consider the black and green clothes； for his fear had begun to pass away when he came to understand that he had something the man of learning wanted and pleaded for； and now that the blessed beads were safe； his fear had nearly all gone； and surely； he thought； if that big cloak； and that little tight？fitting cloak under it； were warm and without holes； saint patrick would take the enchantment out of them and leave them fit for human use。 but the black and green clothes fell away wherever his fingers touched them； and while this was a new wonder； a slight wind blew over the pool and crumbled the old man of learning and all his ancient gear into a little heap of dust； and then made the little heap less and less until there was nothing but the smooth green grass。
．．
WHERE THERE IS NOTHING； THERE IS GOD
；小；说；〃；网
the little wicker houses at tullagh； where the brothers were accustomed to pray； or bend over many handicrafts； when twilight had driven them from the fields； were empty； for the hardness of the winter had brought the brotherhood together in the little wooden house under the shadow of the wooden chapel； and abbot malathgeneus； brother dove； brother bald fox； brother peter； brother patrick； brother bittern； brother fair？brows； and many too young to have won names in the great battle； sat about the fire with ruddy faces； one mending lines to lay in the river for eels； one fashioning a snare for birds； one mending the broken handle of a spade； one writing in a large book； and one shaping a jewelled box to hold the book； and among the rushes at their feet lay the scholars； who would one day be brothers； and whose school？house it was； and for the succour of whose tender years the great fire was supposed to leap and flicker。 one of these； a child of eight or nine years； called olioll； lay upon his back looking up through the hole in the roof； through which the smoke went； and watching the stars appearing and disappearing in the smoke with mild eyes； like the eyes of a beast of the field。 he turned presently to the brother who wrote in the big book； and whose duty was to teach the children； and said； brother dove； to what are the stars fastened？ the brother； rejoicing to see so much curiosity in the stupidest of his scholars； laid down the pen and said； there are nine crystalline spheres； and on the first the moon is fastened； on the second the planet mercury； on the third the planet venus； on the fourth the sun； on the fifth the planet mars； on the sixth the planet jupiter； on the seventh the planet saturn； these are the wandering stars； and on the eighth are fastened the fixed stars； but the ninth sphere is a sphere of the substance on which the breath of god moved in the beginning。
what is beyond that？ said the child。 there is nothing beyond that； there is god。
and then the childs eyes strayed to the jewelled box； where one great ruby was gleaming in the light of the fire； and he said； why has brother peter put a great ruby on the side of the box？
the ruby is a symbol of the love of god。
why is the ruby a symbol of the love of god？
because it is red； like fire； and fire burns up everything； and where there is nothing； there is god。
the child sank into silence； but presently sat up and said； there is somebody outside。
no； replied the brother。 it is only the wolves； i have heard them moving about in the snow for some time。
they are growing very wild； now that the winter drives them from the mountains。 they broke into a fold last night and carried off many sheep； and if we are not careful they will devour everything。
no； it is the footstep of a man； for it is heavy； but i can hear the footsteps of the wolves also。
he had no sooner done speaking than somebody rapped three times； but with no great loudness。
i will go and open； for he must be very cold。
do not open； for it may be a man？wolf； and he may devour us all。
but the boy had already drawn back the heavy wooden bolt； and all the faces； most of them a little pale； turned towards the slowly？opening door。
he has beads and a cross； he cannot be a man？wolf； said the child； as a man with the snow heavy on his long； ragged beard； and on the matted hair； that fell over his shoulders and nearly to his waist； and dropping from the tattered cloak that but half？covered his withered brown body； came in and looked from face to face with mild； ecstatic eyes。 standing some way from the fire； and with eyes that had rested at last upon the abbot malathgeneus； he cried out； o blessed abbot； let me e to the fire and warm myself and dry the snow from my beard and my hair and my cloak； that i may not die of the cold of the mountains； and anger the lord with a wilful martyrdom。
e to the fire； said the abbot； and warm yourself； and eat the food the boy olioll will bring you。 it is sad indeed that any for whom christ has died should be as poor as you。
the man sat over the fire； and olioll took away his now dripping cloak and laid meat and bread and wine before him； but he would eat only of the bread； and he put away the wine； asking for water。 when his beard and hair had begun to dry a little and his limbs had ceased to shiver with the cold； he spoke again。
o blessed abbot； have pity on the poor； have pity on a beggar who has trodden the bare world this many a year； and give me some labour to do； the hardest there is； for i am the poorest of gods poor。
then the brothers discussed together what work they could put him to； and at first to little purpose； for there was no labour that had not found its labourer in that busy munity； but at last one remembered that brother bald fox； whose business it was to turn the great quern in the quern？house； for he was too stupid for anything else； was getting old for so heavy a labour； and so the beggar was put to the quern from the morrow。
the cold passed away； and the spring grew to summer； and the quern was never idle； nor was it turned with grudging labour； for when any passed the beggar was heard singing as he drove the handle round。 the last gloom； too； had passed from that happy munity； for olioll； who had always been stupid and unteachable； grew clever； and this was the more miraculous because it had e of a sudden。 one day he had been even duller than usual； and was beaten and told to know his lesson better on the morrow or be sent into a lower class among little boys who would make a joke of him。 he had gone out in tears； and when he came the next day； although his stupidity； born of a mind that would listen to every wandering sound and brood upon every wandering light； had so long been the byword of the school； he knew his lesson so well that he passed to the head of the class； and from that day was the best of scholars。 at first brother dove thought this was an answer to his own prayers to the virgin； and took it for a great proof of the love she bore him； but when many far more fervid prayers had failed to add a single wheatsheaf