Of the Repulsion of an Aquatic Beast by the Power of the Speech of the Sainted Man

St Adomnan on St Columbus and his confrontation with Nessie! translated by me.

Also at that place, at that time, when the holy man stayed for some days in the province of Scotland, he had the need to cross the Ness. When he had come to the shore of it, he saw some of the inhabitants burying a wretched little man, whom the buriers themselves reported that a certain aquatic beast, snatching him away before a little swimming, had gripped in a most fierce bite. Those coming to his aid in a certain boat had snatched his pitiful body with extended hooks, alas too late.

The saintly man, in turn, hearing this, ordered that any one of his companions, should swim out to the boat anchored on the opposite shore and sail it back to him. Lugneus Mocu-min, having heard the instruction of the holy man, complying without delay, threw himself into the waters, having taken off all his clothes except his tunic. But the monster, not so much sated as incensed for prey by the previous encounter, hid away in the depths of the river. Perceiving the commotion of his swimming atop the water, the swimming beast, emerging suddenly, flew towards the man swimming in the middle of the channel with a huge roar and gaping mouth. All who were present, his brother monks as much as the foreigners were unnerved by excessive terror . Then, seeing this, the sainted man, with his holy hand lifted into the empty sky in prayer, had traced the sign of the cross, the name of god having been invoked, and he commanded the ferocious beast, saying, “You shall go no further, nor touch that man. Turn back immediately.”

Then the beast, this holy order having been heard, was actually dragged backwards as if by ropes, and fled, terrified, in a hasty retreat. That monster approached so close before swimming Lugneus, that between man and beast it could not have been said to be more than one length. Then the brothers, seeing the beast to have retreated, and their comrade Lugneus returned to them intact and unharmed in a boat, glorified God who was within the sainted man with huge admiration. But also the foreign kinsmen, who were present at that time, compelled by the greatness of the same miracle, they themselves knew and praised the god of the Christians.