The demon Corna

The demon Corna

Lough Derg--Pilgrimage--Middle Ages--Antonio Mannini

"When we were within half a bow-shot of the said island of the Purgatory I saw a bird blacker than coal take flight ; it had not a single plume or feather on its back..."

Shane Leslie, 1885-1971

Antonio Mannini, 1411, translated from the Italian in the Giornale Storico della Letterature Italiana, vol. viii, p. 154, by Archdeacon St. John Seymour and printed in his book on St. Patrick's Purgatory: Dundalgan Press, Dundalk, 1918, Leslie, Shane, Saint Patrick's Purgatory: A Record from History and Literature, p. 37

Burns Oats and Washbourne Ltd, London

1932

Citation for the purposes of criticism

Collection of sources

English

Monograph

DD_0083

54.611776, -7.878289

"When we were within half a bow-shot of the said island of the Purgatory I saw a bird blacker than coal take flight ; it had not a single plume or feather on its back, save only four or five on each wing, and it was shaped like a heron, but rather larger. And when I saw and noticed it I thought it a great marvel, and I began to tremble, and my heart beat fast with fear, and my hair stood straight upon end so that I could scarcely smooth it down with my hands and make it lie flat. The canon knew quite well what it was, for he began to make the sign of the cross, and he signed himself four or five times. I asked him what it meant, and what this bird might be and the reason of the great fear which had come upon me. But he answered, trying to put me off. as if he did not wish to tell me, saying [in Latin] Nothing ! it's nothing ! don't ask questions ! don't ask questions ! and bidding me be of good cheer, and hope in God, and commend myself to Him. This made me the more suspicious, and I instantly and piteously besought him in God's name to tell me fully what this might be. Thereupon he replied that since I asked him in the Lord's name, and in such a manner, he could not refuse, and he began as follows

'At the time when our Lord shewed St. Patrick this Purgatory, after him, and one of his disciples called St. Nicholas, many went in, and most of them perished and came forth no more and were never heard of again. St. Patrick marveled greatly at this, and devoutly prayed to God with constant prayer and discipline, until he saw by the Holy Spirit that the reason of it was a wicked demon called Corna, who by his many and various temptations caused all the people to perish. Then St. Patrick made God heard his prayer [sic], and appeared to him in visible form in this place on the island, and said:-"Patrick, I have heard thy prayer," and shewed him the wicked bird, saying: "I have bound him in this shape and he shall never again have power to harm any man, and he shall retain this shape until the Day of Judgment, and he shall not have power to abide anywhere but on a stone or a withered tree. And when any Christian comes to this island he shall go forth therefrom and abide in some other island, but shall not be able to leave the lake."' Then the canon added that when the accursed bird Corna blows the horn with his beak, like a man, it is the sign of perdition for him who is about to enter Purgatory ; but, God be praised, he did not blow the horn for me, and I heard nothing. If I marveled do you likewise now marvel, when you hear these words, for to this hour my heart beats when I think of it."

Monograph