know that she lived before the coming of the St. 

 Cross : but all love her, because of her service Bridget 

 to Mary in Her travail and to the newborn 1 ^ 

 Child, and because she looks with eyes of love 

 into every cradle and puts the hand of peace 

 on the troubled hearts of women : and all 

 delight in her return to the world after the 

 ninety days of the winter -sleep, when her 

 heralds are manifest. 



What, then, are the insignia of St. Bridget 

 of the Shores ? They are simple. They are 

 the dandelion, the lamb, and the sea-bird 

 popularly called the oyster-opener. From 

 time immemorial, this humble, familiar yellow 

 plant of the wayside has been identified with 

 St. Bride. To this day shepherds, on Am 

 Fheill Bhrighde, are wont to hear among the 

 mists the crying of innumerable young lambs, 

 and this without the bleating of ewes, and so 

 by that token know that Holy St. Bride has 

 passed by, coming earthward with her flock 

 of the countless lambs soon to be born on all 

 the hillsides and pastures of the world. Fisher- 

 folk on the shores of the west and on the far 

 isles have gladdened at the first prolonged re- 

 petitive whistle of the oyster-opener, for its 

 advent means that the hosts of the good fish 

 are moving towards the welcoming coasts once 

 more, that the wind of the south is unloosened, 



81 G 



