Story
Saint Jerome relates to us:
We saw another blessed man whose virtues surpassed all others, named Abban, or Benus. The brethren who were with him relate of him that he never swore an oath, never uttered a falsehood, never grew angry with any man, and never rebuked anyone with a word. He spent his whole life in silent contemplation and humility, and his life was like that of one of the angels, clothed in deep humility.
When we begged him to speak to us a word of profit, only with great difficulty did he consent to utter a few words.
On one occasion, when the laborers in the fields beside the river asked him to drive away from them a hippopotamus that was harming them by its violence, in a gentle voice he commanded the beast: "I adjure you in the name of Jesus Christ to depart," and behold, the animal withdrew as though led by an angel, and was never again seen in that region