The next story, told by the Manx people, is almost literally transcribed
from Waldron's 'History and Description of the Isle of Man,' London,
1744.
"A fiddler having agreed with a person, who was a stranger, for so much
money, to play to some company he should bring him to, all the twelve
days of Christmas, and having received an earnest for it, saw his new
master vanish into the earth the moment he had made the bargain. Nothing
could exceed the terror of the poor fiddler. He found he had engaged
himself in the devil's service, and he looked on himself as already
doomed; but, having recourse to a clergyman he received some hope. The
clergyman desired him, as he had taken an earnest, to go when he should
be summoned; but, whatever tunes should be called for, to play none but
psalm-tunes.
"On the day appointed the same person appeared, with whom he went, but
with what inward reluctance it is easy to guess. He punctually obeying
the minister's directions, the company to whom he played were so angry
that they all vanished at once, leaving him at the top of a high hill,
and so bruised and hurt, though he was not sensible when or from what
hand he received the blows, that it was with the utmost difficulty he
got home."