Unto us a son is born Unto us a son is given

“My dear brother Maeldun,” said Aileran, smiling for the first time that evening, “granted that our reverend abbott Ultan is much better versed in some matters of the spirit than are any of we; nevertheless, when it comes to matters such as these, he has shown himelf to be an insufferable pig’s ass.” Maeldun glanced around the scriptorium at the faces of the other monks, some of whom smiling at Aileran’s remark, and tried to shake from his mind the nagging thought that they might be mocking him, although his heart told him otherwise.