I don't know if you have had any success in finding the story of Colmcille and its early reference to copying, so I took the time to dig it up from one of my treasured books. It's in Old Irish and (fortunately!) English...I've typed the revelant English section and have attached it (I hope) as a text file to this message (I did it in Clarissworks 4.0..but I remember one of your special K breakfast chats and am taking no chances. The book is several hundred pages, and I don't know whether you read Old Irish..if its important, I suppose I could type it out for you.
168. On a time Columcille went to stay with Finnen of Druim Finn, and he asked of him the loan of a book, and it was given him. After the hours and the mass, he was wont to tarry behind the others in the church, there transcribing the book, unknown to Finnen. And when evening came there would be candles for him the while he copied, to wit, the five fingers of his right hand blazing like five passing bright lights, so that they lit up and enlumined the whole temple. And on the last night that Columcille was copying the end of that book, Finnen sent one to ask it of him. And when that one had come to the door of the church where Columcille was, he marvelled at the greatness of the light he saw within. And passing great dread seized him, and he peered timouressly through the hole in the leaf of the church door. And when he was ware of Columcille in the manner we have set forth, fear suffered him not to speak nor to require the book of him.
Howbeit it was revealed to Columcille that the youth was thus watching him, and he waxed passing wroth at this thing, and he spake to a pet crane he had there, and said: "Thou has leave of me, if thou has leave of God, to pluck out the eye of that youth that cometh to spy upon me without my knowledge."
Anon withal arose the crane at the words of Columcille, and he gave a peck with his beak through the hole of the door into the eye of the youth, so that he plucked out his eye from his head, and left it upon his cheek. Then went the youth to FInnen, and related to him how it had gone with him from the beginning to end. Illpleasing to Finnen was this thing, and he blessed and sained the youth's eye and put it again in its place as it had been afore, without hurt or harm theron. And when Finnen heard that his book had been copied without leave from him, he accused Columcille and said that it was not lawful for him to copy his book without his leave.
"I shall require the judgment of the King of Erin between us," saith Columcille, "to wit, the judgment of Diarmaid, son of Cerball." "I shall accept that," saith Finnen.
Anon withal they went together to Tara of the Kings, to Diarmaid son of Cerball. And Finnen first told the King of his story, and he said:
"Columcille hath copied my book without my knowing," saith he, "and I contend that the son of my book is mine."
"I contend," saith Columcille,"that the book of Finnen is none the worse for my copying it, and it is not right that the divine words in that book should perish, or that I or any other should be hindered from writing them or reading them or spreading them among the tribes. And further I declare that it was right for me to copy it, seeing there was profit to me from doing in this wise, and seeing it was my desire to give the profit therof to all peoples, and with no harm therefrom to Finnen or his book."
Then it was that Diarmaid gave the famous judgment: "To every cow her young cow, that is, her calf, and to every book its transcript. "And therefore to Finnen belongeth the book thou has written, O Columcille.."
"It is an unjust judgment," saith Columcille, "and punishment shall fall on thee therefor."
Copied from: pages 177-179, Betha Colaim Chille, Life of Columcille, Compiled by Maghnas O Domhnaill in 1532, Edited and translated from manuscript Raw B 514 in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, with introdution, glossary, notes, and indexes by A. O'Kelleher, and G. Schoepperle, School of Celtic Studies Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, this reprint 1994.
Columcille (otherwise known as Saint Columba).
Jerry Smith
jerry smith,jsmith@sewickley-acad.pvt.k12.pa.us
Last updated on Wednesday, August 6, 1997.