St. Brigit and the wild animals.

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Brigit set up home in her new convent in Kildare (church of the Oak)  and she fed the poor and healed the sick and protected the wild animals.  One day a wild boar came running into the grounds after being chased by hunters, causing havoc and chaos all around it, knocking people down and scaring the children. The hunters came in looking for their game and Brigit sent them away saying “any living thing that comes looking for my protection shall have it.” and she sent the hunters away. Brigit spread her mantel around the boar and whispered into his ear and the boar became tame and quiet. He lived with them amongst her domesticated pigs and walked at her side like a pet dog.

 

In another story the local Chieftain had a tame Fox who would do tricks of all kinds to entertain everyone at court, one day the Fox was out running in the fields and a local hunter killed the Fox with his bow and arrow, not knowing it was the Chieftains prize Fox.

 

 The Chieftain was furious, and he called for the man to be killed unless a tame Fox will be brought in its stead. Brigit heard the story of the fate of the hunter and went immediately to the rath of the Chieftain. 

 

She travelled on her horse and cart and on her way, she whistled into the deep wildwoods and out of the darkness ran a wild Fox and jumped straight up into her cart and hid underneath her long green mantle.  Brigit rode on into the fort and walked into the house and presented the Fox to the Chieftain. 

“You can release the man now for I have brought you a Fox in place of your old one, “She told him.

“This is a wild Fox and does will not do tricks like my old tame Fox did”

 

Brigit bent down to the Fox and placing her mantle over him again, she whispered into his ear and the Fox jumped up and did mighty tricks to everyone's delight and the Chieftain agreed to free the man and He thanked Saint Brigit for his new friend.

 

After Brigit had arrived safely back to her convent in Kildare and the hunts man was safely back home with his family. The wild fox slyly stole away, back home into his Woods and nor the chieftain’s men or hounds could catch it.  

In another story Brigit calls out to a wild flock of Ducks and they fly down to her without fear and after cuddling and stoking them she releases them back into the air. Not even the wild beasts could resist her whispering.