Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Life of St. Columba (Author: [unknown])

Chapter 20

Regarding Nesan the Crooked, who lived in the country bordering on the Lake of Apors (Lochaber)

THIS Nesan, though very poor, joyfully received on one occasion the saint as his guest. And after he had entertained him as hospitably as his means would afford for one night, the saint asked him the number of his heifers. He answered, ‘Five.’ The saint then said, ‘Bring them to me that I may bless them.’ And when they were brought the saint raised his holy hand and blessed them, and said: ‘From this day thy five little heifers shall increase to the number of one hundred and five cows.’ And as this same Nesan was a man of humble condition, having a wife and children, the saint added this further blessing, saying: ‘Thy seed shall be blessed in thy children and grandchildren.’ And all this was completely fulfilled without any failure, according to the word of the saint.