"It is a long day I fancy till you go on your pilgrimage," said the leader of the band. "Say not so," answered the _furshore_: "for I will certainly go with these people on my pilgrimage now without delay." "Upon our word," said the _crossans_, "you will not take away our clothes with you; for not a single article of the garments you wear belongs to you." "It is not so small a matter that would keep me with you," says he. So they stripped off all his clothes, and sent him away mother naked to the curragh. "Who and what in the world are you, good man?" asked the crew. "A poor wretch who wishes to go with you on pilgrimage," said he. "Indeed," said they, "you shall not by any means come with us, seeing that you are stark naked." "Say not so, young men," said he, "for the sake of God do not refuse me; for I will amuse you and keep your hearts cheerful (with my music and singing); and your piety will not be a whit the worse for it." And (inasmuch as he had asked) for the sake of God they consented to let him go. Now this is how it was with the crew:--each man of them had built a church and raised an altar to the Lord in his own district. Their number was nine; among whom was a bishop, and a priest, and a deacon; and they had one _gilla_ (attendant) who was the ninth man. "Let us go aboard our curragh now," says Lochan, "as we have finished our task of restoring the churches, and as we have, besides, each of us built a church to the Lord in our own district." It was then they put up their prayers fervently to God in the hope that they might have fine weather; and that the Lord would quell the fury of the billows, and the might of the ocean, and the rage of the terrible sea monsters. So they embarked in their curragh, bringing their oars; and they began to question among themselves what direction they should take. "The direction in which this wind will bring us," says the bishop. And having commended themselves to God, one and all, they betook them to their oars. A great wind now arose, which drove them out on the waste of waters straight to the west; and they were forty days and forty nights on the ocean. And God revealed to them great and unheard of wonders. They had not been long rowing when the _crossan_ died; and sad and sorrowful were they for his loss, and wept much. While they were still mourning, they saw a little bird alight on the deck of the curragh. And the little bird spoke and said to them:--"Good people, tell me now in God's name what is the cause of your sorrow." "A _crossan_ that we had playing music for us; and he died a little while ago in this curragh; and that is the cause of our sorrow." And the bird said:--"Lo, I am your little _crossan_: and now be not sorrowful any longer, for I am going straightway to heaven." So saying he bade them farewell and flew away. I.