CORNISH DEDICATIONS. 285 



To impress the imaginations of the rude natives, she had 

 recourse to great austerities, and acquired the repute of being 

 able to perform miracles, and to have the gift of prophecy. 



Among those who lived with her was her sister Necht. Itha 

 had engaged a skilful carpender, Beoan, to construct a church for 

 her, and she soon perceived that a flirtation was in process 

 between the artificer and Necht. Like a sensible woman, she at 

 once favoured the mutual attachment, having satisfied herself 

 that her sister had no vocation for the monastic life, and she saw 

 that they were married respectably. 



Itha was resolved not to yield to the temptation of making 

 the community wealthy, and she constantly refused presents made 

 to it. One day when a rich man pressed gold into her hands, she 

 rejected it, and sent for water wherewith to wash off the soil of 

 filthy lucre. 



"What ought I to do with the money?" asked the man. 



"Use it aright," was her reply. " Gold may help you to 

 make a display, or, on the other hand, to relieve distress." 



She maintained an affectionate regard for S. Ere, who placed 

 the little Brendan with her to be nursed, till he was five or six 

 years old. Brendan remained warmly attached to his foster 

 mother, and consulted her in his difliculties. One day, when she 

 was an old woman and he in vigorous manhood, he asked her 

 what three things, in her opinion, were most pleasing to God. 

 She promptly replied "Resignation to the Divine will, simplicity, 

 and large heartedness." 



"And what," asked Brendan further, "is most hateful to 

 God." "Churlishness, a love of evil, and greed after gain," 

 was her reply. '^ 



There was another community of religious women at no 

 great distance. This society was thrown- into confusion by the 

 fact of a theft having taken place among the maidens, and 

 suspicion rested on one of them, who steadfastly protested her 

 innocence. The superior, unable to get at the bottom of the 

 mystery, proposed that all should go to Killeedy and visit S. Itha. 

 This they accordingly did, and on arriving kissed the saint, with 

 the exception of the girl who was accused of the theft, and who 

 shyly held back, Itha fixed her eyes intently on her and said ; — 



