A blackbird once assailing Benedict's face was repelled by the sign of the cross.

Being tempted by a woman, Benedict crawled about among briars and nettles to maintain his Spartan spirit.

He now became the abbot of a monastery, but the monks were so worldly that he had to correct them.

In retaliation they poisoned his wine, but the saint making the sign of the cross over it, the glass broke in pieces and the wine was innocuously spilt.

Thereupon Benedict left the monastery and returned to the desert, where he founded two abbeys and drove the devil out of a monk who could not endure long prayers, his method being to beat the monk.