It is told how a monk sailed to Brittany. He came across the sea from Britain with some disciples, brother monks who wanted to form a monastery, with him as their head. Not much is known about Leonore, for that was his name, before he crossed the waters which divide Great Britain from that Little Britain. It is thought that he may have learned from Saint Iltut of Wales, and been ordained priest by Saint Dubricius.
But we know that he went to Brittany, and that there he wanted to build a church, where he and his brethren might worship God. They thought, too, that they might teach the people of Christ, for in those days there were many who yet worshipped false gods.
Therefore Leonore and the brothers built a little chapel; simple and rude it might be, but it was all they could do. Here they hung a bell, and the solemn tolling was heard across the moorland, and perchance made those heathen wonder who the God could be whom these men worshipped daily.
The brothers then put their dwelling in order; they cut the heather and turf ready for fuel for the cold winter months; they brought stone to build walls. Where the land was swampy they drained it. Many things they did to make their habitation comfortable. One of them, skilled in working, fashioned a plough; with this the brethren managed to plough some of the land. Then came sowing-time, but they had no wheat.
“Where,” said one of the brethren, “can grain be found? The land, indeed, is ready, ploughed with much labour, but what avails it if there be no seed? Truly our labour is in vain.” For in that wild place the people knew naught about corn.
“God will help us,” said Leonore; “the ground is ready. He will send the grain.”
Now, while he spake, flying through the air came a robin. This robin alighted upon the cross which the monks had raised by the wayside, and Leonore, raising his eyes, perceived that the bird carried in his beak a wheat-ear full of golden grain.
Then he called to the robin, whereat the bird fluttered to him, allowing the wheat-ear to be taken from him.
“If this be sown,” said Leonore, “at harvest time we shall have many more wheat-ears.”
And he straightway fell on to his knees, praising God for His goodness, as did they all, while the little robin sang merrily, praising Him too.
Then the wheat was planted, and in due time yielded increase, so that in years to come the land was golden with waving corn.
And the brothers preached and taught, so that in after days many churches were built among the wheatfields, many bells rang
“At morn
With a thought of God
O’er the golden corn.”
Now, by this tale we may learn that small beginnings are not to be despised. There is an old proverb—
“Get thy spindle and distaff ready,
And God will send the Flax.”
And this saying and robin redbreast’s corn teach us the same lesson—never to wait to begin work for God, because the beginning may seem small. Rather set to work, trusting to God that He will prosper and continue it to His glory, although it may be by other hands and in other days than ours. “Let a man do his work; the fruit of it is the care of Another than he.”