It was the Devil who was in it in the shape of a man.
He gave it to him written with his share of blood that he would be his at the end of one and twenty years.
He had money then every time ever he wanted it until the one and twenty years were almost out, and then fear began coming on him. He went to the priest and he told it [all] to him. "I could not do any good for you," says the priest. "You must go to such and such a man who is going into Ellasthrum (?) He has so much of the Devil's influence (?) that he does be able to change round the castle door any time the wind is blowing [too hard] on it."
He went to this man and he told him his story. "I wouldn't be able to do you any good," says he, "you must go to Friar Brian."
He went to Friar Brian and told him his story. The one and twenty years were all but up by this time. "Here is a stick for you," said Friar Brian, "and cut a ring [with the stick] round about the place where you'll stand. He [the Devil] won't be able to come inside the place which you'll cut out with this stick. And do you be arguing with him, and I'll be watching you both," says he. "Tell him that there must be some judgment [passed] on the case before you depart [to go away] with him."
"Very well," says the man.
When the appointed hour came the man was standing in the place he said. The Devil came to him. He told the man that the time was up and that he had to come along.
The man began to say that the time was not up. He cut a ring round about himself with the stick which Friar Brian had given him. "Well, then," says the man, says he [at last], "we'll leave it to the judgment of the first person who shall come past us."
"I am satisfied," says the Diabhac.[74]