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Updated: June 9, 2025
And Gille Mairtean the fox bade Ian Direach tell the princess that she must bide yet a while in a cave amongst the rocks, for they had business on land, and after a while they would return to her. Then they took a boat and rowed up to some rocks, and as they touched the land Gille Mairtean changed himself into a fair woman, who laughed, and said to Ian Direach, 'I will give the king a fine wife.
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.
Quickly the fox took his own shape again, and galloped away to the sea shore, where Ian Direach and the princess and the bay colt awaited him. 'I will become a ship, cried Gille Mairtean, 'and you shall go on board me. And so he did, and Ian Direach let the bay colt into the ship and the princess went after them, and they set sail for Dhiurradh.
And in his dream a soft nose touched him, and a warm body curled up beside him, and a low voice whispered to him: 'Fortune is against you, Ian Direach; I have but the cheek and the hoof of a sheep to give you, and with these you must be content. With that Ian Direach awoke, and beheld Gille Mairtean the fox. Between them they kindled a fire, and ate their supper.
And he bowed low, and besought her to do him the honour to enter the palace; and Gille Mairtean, as he went in, turned to look back at Ian Direach, and laughed. In the great hall the king paused and pointed to an iron chest which stood in a corner.
And after they had reached the shore, and beheld the sea stretching before them, and the isle of Dhiurradh in the midst of it, the soul of Ian sank, and he turned to Gille Mairtean and asked why he had brought him thither, for the giant, when he had sent him, had known full well that without a boat he could never find the Big Women. 'Do not be cast down, answered the fox, 'it is quite easy!
And the Big Women heard it, and came running back, and took the sword from him, and said: 'If it is our sword you want, you must first bring us the bay colt of the King of Erin. Humbled and ashamed, Ian Direach left the house, and sat by the side of the sea, and soon Gille Mairtean the fox came to him. 'Plainly I see that you have taken no heed to my words, Ian Direach, spoke the fox.
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