THE MILLER OF HELL.
The next island they came to, which was not far off from the last, had a
large mill on it; and near the door stood the miller, a huge-bodied,
strong, burly man. They saw numberless crowds of men and horses laden
with corn, coming towards the mill; and when their corn was ground they
went away towards the west. Great herds of all kinds of cattle covered
the plain as far as the eye could reach, and among them many wagons
laden with every kind of wealth that is produced on the ridge of the
world. All these the miller put into the mouth of his mill to be ground;
and all, as they came forth, went westwards.
Maildun and his people now spoke to the miller, and asked him the name
of the mill, and the meaning of all they had seen on the island. And he,
turning quickly towards them, replied in few words--
"This mill is called the Mill of Inver-tre-Kenand, and I am the miller
of hell. All the corn and all the riches of the world that men are
dissatisfied with, or which they complain of in any way, are sent here
to be ground; and also every precious article, and every kind of wealth,
which men try to conceal from God. All these I grind in the Mill of
Inver-tre-Kenand, and send them afterwards away to the west."
He spoke no more, but turned round and busied himself again with his
mill. And the voyagers, with much wonder and awe in their hearts, went
to their curragh and sailed away.[LXXIV.]