History
Saint Ailbhe (sounds like "Elfie" - He is also called Saint Elfeis or Elvis) lived so long ago, it’s a little hard to figure out which stories about him are true and which are legends. We know he was a bishop who Bishop and preacher who studied under Saint Patrick. He was a missionary all over Ireland. One of the legends about him is that he was left in the forest when he was a baby and raised by a wolf, who later came to him for protection when she was being hunted. This is why he is called the patron saint of wolves.
Activity
Today, play the game “Mr. Wolf What Time Is It?”, a popular game in the British Isles. American children will recognize it as something like the game “Red Light, Green Light.” One child plays the wolf and stands with his or her back to the others, some distance apart. The other children shout, “Mr. (or Mrs.) Wolf, what time is it?” The child who is the wolf calls out any time – 1 o’clock, 2 o’clock, etc. – and the other children take that many steps closer. They can be big steps or little steps. At any time, the wolf can say, “Dinner time!” and then turn and chase the others back to home base. If the wolf tags a child, then he or she is the next wolf. Alternatively, the children who are getting closer to the wolf can tag him or her, and that child will have to start their turn over.
If the weather isn’t too warm, you might also want to make Irish stew for supper to celebrate Saint Ailbhe.
Saint Ailbhe, pray for us!
More reading for parents:
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