make the crossing, but he saw never a soul; no man dwelt thereabout, for
the robbers had laid waste the land, and driven away the folk so that
none remained. 'Twas all heath and sand, and no land beside; there grew
neither barley nor wheat. He saw and heard no man, nor did folk come and
go there, but he saw ships at anchor, and shipmen therein, who were wont
to take over those folk who would cross into Ireland.

Morien came riding over the sea-sand, and cried with a loud voice
shipward: "Ye who be within tell me that which I ask lest it be to your
own loss, as also I would fain know for my own profit and rejoicing.
Know ye if any within these few days past have carried a knight over the
water?"

But all they who lay in the ships, when they beheld Morien who had
doffed his helm, were so afeard for him that they might neither hear nor
understand question nor answer. They were altogether in fear of him,
since he was so tall, and black withal. Each man turned his boat
seaward, and put off from the shore, for Morien was to look upon even as
if he were come out of hell. They deemed they had seen the Foul Fiend
himself, who would fain deceive them, so they departed as swiftly as
they might and would in no wise abide his coming. Then must Morien turn
him again, for none would hearken to his speech nor tell him that which
he fain would know; all were of one mind that 'twas the Devil, and none
else, who rode there upon the sand, so they fled with one consent from
the shore.

Morien saw well that his labour was in vain, for would he make the
crossing there was no man would abide his coming or receive him into his
boat. Thus must he needs turn him back, and great lamentation did he
make thereof. He saw the footprints where two horses had ridden afore