A Celtic pagan story from Ireland, told by Erica Helm Meade in her book of wisdom tales, The Moon in the Well.

Long ago in Ireland, a few wealthy landholders owned great tracts of farming land, while the peasants were forced up into the rocky hills to eke out a living from the sparse soil. One year the crops went bad. The poor peasants could barely scrape together an onion or a carrot for their supper. Brigit went to one of the richest landholders and said, “The harvest is grim this year, and the peasants need your help.”

The landholder replied, “Ah, Brigit, I’ll think on it, but in truth, if the people would only work harder they surely could fend for themselves.”

A few weeks passed. The situation grew worse. Brigit went again to the landholder and said, “The peasants have no food. They’ve taken to the hills to eat shamrocks and grass. What will you do for them?”

“Now, Brigit,” said the landholder, “Why is it you’re up here talking to me, when you should be talking to the peasants about what they can do for themselves? I’ve no time for this, now be gone with you.”

Another week passed, and the situation became grave. Brigit went again to the landholder. In a rage she cried, “You’ve done nothing to help and now the children are starving! I demand that you give land to the poor!”

“Well, Brigit,” said the landholder, “It couldn’t be that bad. ’Tis a fine wool cloak you wear on your back. Let it not be said I’m stingy. Here’s what we’ll do: You go out to the plain. Choose any spot. Spread your white cloak on the ground, and the farmland it covers, I’ll donate to the poor.”

“Tax free?” asked Brigit.

“All right, tax free,” said the landholder, “but don’t ask for anything more.”

So that day Brigit and three of her sisters went out to the center of the fertile plain. Each took hold of a corner of the white cloak.

Brigit said, “All right now, pull it taut.” They did so, and then Brigit cried, “Now take a step backward.” Each of them took a step back, one to the north, one to the south, one to the east, and one to the west, and as they did, the cloak expanded. Then Brigit cried, “All right, keep walking!” They did, and the cloak continued to expand until it covered the whole expanse of the plain.

That afternoon, the landholder went up into the tower to look out and survey the lands. At first glance it looked as if a snow had fallen. “The cloak,” the landowner whispered, quite in awe. A great, mysterious power was at work.

Seeing Brigit striding up the walkway, the landlord leaned out the window and cried, “Mercy, Brigit, I’ll keep to my word! The whole of the plain belongs to the poor, and I’ll throw in a hundred bags of oat seed that they might prosper by it!”

“That’s fine for tomorrow,” said Brigit, “but what will you do for today?”

“For today?” said the landholder. “Why, a feast for today, a feast for all!”

“What sort of a feast?” asked Brigit.

“Why, a feast of stews, and roasts, and compotes, and mashes, and stuffings, and jellies, and cakes,” replied the landholder.

“And bags to take home?” asked Brigit.

“Why of course,” assured the landholder.

“Very well, then,” said Brigit, “I’ll spread the word.”

“Aye, Brigit, I’m sure you will, and I don’t mind saying, that if you spread the word as efficiently as you spread the cloak, not a soul will miss this feast.”

Wondering Questions

• Is it a miracle that Brigit and her sisters stretched the cloak across more and more farmland?
• What made the landowner change from selfishness to giving?
• What “great, mysterious power” amazed the landowner?

Additional Activities

Download the Fall 2019 UUWorld Families Pages (pdf) for more activities.

Originally published in the “Families Weave a Tapestry of Faith” insert in the Fall 2019 Issue of The UUWorld.