"It happened, some time after, that I got a new curragh made, with the hides painted red all over; and I went to sea in it. As I sailed by the shores and islands, I was so pleased with the view of the land and sea from my curragh that I resolved to live altogether in it for some time; and I brought on board all my treasures--silver cups, gold bracelets, and ornamented drinking-horns, and everything else, from the largest to the smallest article. "I enjoyed myself for a time, while the air was clear and the sea calm and smooth. But one day, the winds suddenly arose and a storm burst upon me, which carried me out to sea, so that I quite lost sight of land, and I knew not in what direction the curragh was drifting. After a time, the wind abated to a gentle gale, the sea became smooth, and the curragh sailed on as before, with a quiet, pleasant movement. "But suddenly, though the breeze continued to blow, I thought I could perceive that the curragh ceased moving, and, standing up to find out the cause, I saw with great surprise an old man not far off, sitting on the crest of a wave. "He spoke to me; and, as soon as I heard his voice, I knew it at once, but I could not at the moment call to mind where I had heard it before. And I became greatly troubled, and began to tremble, I knew not why. "'Whither art thou going?' he asked. "'I know not,' I replied; 'but this I know, I am pleased with the smooth, gentle motion of my curragh over the waves.' "'You would not be pleased,' replied the old man, 'if you could see the troops that are at this moment around you.' "'What troops do you speak of?' I asked. And he answered-- "'All the space round about you, as far as your view reaches over the sea, and upwards to the clouds, is one great towering mass of demons, on account of your avarice, your thefts, your pride, and your other crimes and vices.' "He then asked, 'Do you know why your curragh has stopped?' "I answered, 'No;' and he said, 'It has been stopped by me; and it will never move from that spot till you promise me to do what I shall ask of you.' "I replied that perhaps it was not in my power to grant his demand. "'It is in your power,' he answered; 'and if you refuse me, the torments of hell shall be your doom.' "He then came close to the curragh, and, laying his hands on me, he made me swear to do what he demanded. "'What I ask is this,' said he; 'that you throw into the sea this moment all the ill-gotten treasures you have in the curragh.' "This grieved me very much, and I replied, 'It is a pity that all these costly things should be lost.' "To which he answered, 'They will not go to loss; a person will be sent to take charge of them. Now do as I say.' "So, greatly against my wishes, I threw all the beautiful precious articles overboard, keeping only a small wooden cup to drink from. "'You will now continue your voyage,' he said; 'and the first solid ground your curragh reaches, there you are to stay.'