Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
In a moment the king came running up, and he seized the colt's bridle. 'If you want my bay colt, you must first bring me the daughter of the king of the Franks. With slow steps went Ian Direach down to the shore where Gille Mairtean the fox awaited him.
Only see that not one of her feathers touches anything within the house, or evil will befall you. 'I thank you for your counsel, spake Ian Direach, 'and I will be careful to follow it. Then he took the path to the giant's house. 'Who is there? cried the giant, as someone knocked loudly on the door of his house. 'One who seeks work as a servant, answered Ian Direach.
And the youngest of them fetched the White Sword of Light, and gave it into the hands of Ian Direach, who took off the golden saddle and the silver bridle, and went down the hill with the sword to the place where the princess and the real colt awaited him.
After he had thus counselled Ian Direach, the fox changed himself into a ship, and set sail for Erin. And the king of that country gave into Ian Direach's hands the care of his horses, and never before did their skins shine so brightly or was their pace so swift.
'Bring hither a boat, cried the princess, 'that I may go and see for myself the harp that gives forth such music. And a boat was brought, and Ian Direach stepped in to row it to the side of the ship. To the further side he rowed, so that none could see, and when he helped the princess on board he gave a push to the boat, so that she could not get back to it again.
And Ian Direach knew that all this he owed to Gille Mairtean the fox, and he made a compact with him that he might choose any beast out of his herds, whenever hunger seized him, and that henceforth no arrow should be let fly at him or at any of his race. But Gille Mairtean the fox would take no reward for the help he had given to Ian Direach, only his friendship.
Scarcely was the giant out of sight next morning when Ian Direach seized the falcon, and throwing a cloth over her head hastened with her to the door. But the rays of the sun pierced through the thickness of the cloth, and as they passed the doorpost she gave a spring, and the tip of one of her feathers touched the post, which gave a scream, and brought the giant back in three strides.
From afar the giant beheld the blaze of the White Sword of Light, and his heart rejoiced; and he took the blue falcon and put it in a basket, and gave it to Ian Direach, who bore it swiftly away to the place where the princess, and the bay colt, and the real Sword of Light were awaiting him.
Then Gille Mairtean the fox bade Ian Direach lie down as before, and sleep till morning. And in the morning, when he awoke, Gille Mairtean said: 'The falcon that you seek is in the keeping of the Giant of the Five Heads, and the Five Necks, and the Five Humps.
And the colt laughed, and became a fox again and galloped away to the sea shore, where Ian Direach, and the princess and the real colt and the White Sword of Light were awaiting him.
Word Of The Day