The Buideach never slept a wink all that night but thinking of the Tinker and the Black Donkey. The next day he was in great anxiety. His mother observed that and asked him what was on him.
"There's not a feather on me," says he.
That night when the mother was asleep the Buideach stole out and never stopped until he came to the little dún; the Black Donkey was there before him and said, "Are you ready?"
"I am," said the Buideach, "but I am grieved that I did not get my mother's blessing; she will be very anxious until I come back again."
"Indeed she will not be anxious at all, because there is another Buideach at your mother's side at home, so like you that she won't know that it is not yourself that's in it; but I'll bring him away with me before you come back."
"I am very much obliged to you and I am ready to go with you now," said he.
"Leap up on my back; there is a long journey before us," said the Donkey.
The Buideach leapt on his back, and the moment he did so he heard thunder and saw great lightning. There came down a big cloud which closed around the black ass and its rider. The Buideach lost the sight of his eyes, and a heavy sleep fell upon him, and when he awoke he was on an island in Lough Derg, standing in the presence of the ancient friar.
The friar began to talk to him, and said, "What brought you here, my son?"