The Oak and the Raindrop - An Dair agus An Braon Báistí 

Columcille’s Little Kinsman

Recorded in: The Blessed Trinity of Ireland, Stories of St. Brigit, St. Columncille and St. Patrick, put down for posterity according to the old writings and the memory of the people of Ireland, by Lady Gregory.

‘Boathan that was afterwards a saint of the Gael was of the kindred to Columcille, and it was Colmcille sent him when he was a little lad to be taught by Saint Colman Ela. But although Boathan had good wits enough, his memory failed him, and it was hard for him to keep in mind what his master taught him. And it happened one day that Colman was vexed with him for a task and struck him. The Boathan went away into the woods to hide himself and to avoids tasks, and while was there he saw a man alone and he was building a house, and according as he came to the end of weaving one rod into the wall he would set the head of another to it, and so he worked on from rod to rod, setting only one at a time. And that seemed very tedious to the young lad till he saw the wall rising as he watched; and he said to himself then ‘If I had worked at my learning as this man works at his building, it is likely I might be a scholar now.’ Then a shower of rain fell and he took shelter from it under and oak tree and he saw a drop pf rain falling from a leaf of the tree on one spot, and he pressed his heel on that spot and made a little hollow, and it was not long till it was filled by the dropping of the one drop. And Boathan said then, ‘If I had worked at my task and my learning even little by little like that drop, without doubt I would be a scholar now. And I make my vow’ he said ‘that from this out to my life’s end I will never give up my learning, however hard it may be to me.’