Ill] AND HISTORIC TIMES 419 



While the saint, bowed down with old age, sat there to rest a 

 little, behold, there came up to him a white pack-horse, the 

 same that used, as a willing servant, to carry the milk- vessels 

 from the cow-shed to the monastery. It came up to the saint 

 and, strange to say, laid its head on his bosom, inspired, I 

 believe, by God to do so, as each animal is gifted with the 

 knowledge of things according to the will of the Creator : and 

 knowing that its master was soon about to leave it, and that it 

 would see him no more, began to utter plaintive cries, and, 

 like a human being, to shed copious tears on the saint's bosom, 

 frothing and greatly wailing. The attendant seeing this began 

 to drive the weeping mourner away, but the saint forbade him, 

 saying : ' Let it alone, as it is so fond of me — let it pour out 

 its bitter grief into my bosom.' Then the saint blessed the 

 work-horse, which turned away from him in sadness." 



From what we have learned about the sanctity of white 

 horses, it may not be rash to suggest that the prescience 

 (p. 114) of St Columba's horse was not unconnected with its 

 white colour in the mind of good Abbot Adamnan. 



Moreover it is clear from the sagas that there was constant 

 intercourse between Ireland and Iceland in the tenth and 

 eleventh centuries, and that Irish slaves and Irish wolf-dogs 

 were known in the latter island. Thus Otkell of Kirby had 

 an Irish thrall named Malcolm \ whom his brother Hallbjorn 

 the White had brought out to Iceland. Again, when Gunnar 

 of Lithend, then in sore peril, was parting from his friend Olaf 

 the Peacock, the latter said : " I will give thee three things of 

 price, a gold ring, and a cloak, Avhich Moorkjardtan the Erse 

 king owned, and a hound that was given me in Ireland ; he is 

 big, and no worse follower than a sturdy man. Besides, it is 

 part of his nature that he has man's wit, and he will bay at 

 every man, whom he knows is thy foe, but never at thy friends ; 

 he can see too in any man's face, whether he means thee well 

 or ill, and he will lay down his life to be true to thee." After 

 that he said to the hound, " Now shalt thou follow Gunnar, and 

 do him all the service thou canst." The hound went at once to 



^ The Saga of Burnt Njal, xlvii. 



27 



