Laheen the Eagle spread out her wings and flew away, and the King’s Son journeyed on, first with the sun before him and then with the sun at his back, until he came to the shore of a wide lake. He turned his horse away, rested himself on the ground, and as soon as the clear day came he began to watch for the three swans.
III
They came, they flew down, and when they touched the ground they transformed themselves into three maidens and went to bathe in the lake. The one who carried the green scarf left her swanskin under a bush. The King’s Son took it and hid it in a hollow tree.
Two of the maidens soon came out of the water, put on their swanskins and flew away as swans. The younger maiden stayed for a while in the lake. Then she came out and began to search for her swanskin. She searched and searched, and at last the King’s Son heard her say, “I would do anything in the world for the creature who would find my swanskin for me.” Then he came from where he was hiding and gave her the swanskin. “I am the Son of the King of Ireland,” he said, “and I want you to show me the way to your father’s dominion.”
“I would prefer to do anything else for you,” said the maiden. “I do not want anything else,” said the King of Ireland’s Son.
“If I show you how to get there will you be content?”
“I shall be content.”
“You must never let my father know that I showed you the way. And he must not know when you come that you are the King of Ireland’s Son.”
“I will not tell him you showed me the way and I will not let him know who I am.”
Now that she had the swanskin she was able to transform herself. She whistled and a blue falcon came down and perched on a tree. “That falcon is my own bird,” said she. “Follow where it flies and you will come to my father’s house. And now good-by to you. You will be in danger, but I will try to help you. Fedelma is my name.” She rose up as a swan and flew away.