Story 13. No Snakes in Ireland
Long, long ago there lived a young boy, Patrick.
One day he was captured by evil men, taken into slavery, and brought to the green and beautiful island called Ireland.
His masters set him to work tending sheep in the hills of that country.
Patrick spent his days looking after the sheep and dreaming of his escape.
One night, as he lay asleep under the starry sky, a spirit came to him in a dream.
You will be free, the spirit told him.
Rise and move south towards the sea.
There you will find a ship waiting to take you to freedom.
The boy was frightened, but he did as he was told.
He walked southward, following the stars and the moon that show the way.
As promised, a ship was waiting for the lad.
It sailed to France, where Patrick was a free man.
But he could not forget about Ireland.
He desperately wanted to return to that fair country which he had come to love.
Patrick grew into a man, and, following his heart, he set sail again for Ireland.
The Irish welcomed him, for he was brave, wise, and capable of teaching them.
He travelled all over the island, and was respected by all.
There were many snakes in Ireland, and most people were frightened of them.
Patrick decided to do something about this.
He began to capture the snakes, and put them in a huge wooden box.
When he had collected the last snake in Ireland, he closed the lid tightly and began to walk towards the sea.
On arriving at the coastline, Patrick threw the box with the snakes into the wild, raging ocean.
The sea grew angry.
The wind blew, and the waves rose high into the sky.
The captured snakes were struggling in the box to get free, but they could not escape.
That is why there are no snakes in Ireland today.
And it is said that when the sea rises and roars, and the waves crash against the shore, it is the snakes of Patrick fighting against the box to be free.
