He thought he had only to take Cud into the castle, and roast him on the spit. He went to catch the child; but if he did, the child faced him, and soon they were fighting like two bulls in high grass. When it was very late in the day, Mucan Mor rose up in a lump of fog, and Cud didn’t know where he had gone.
All Cud had to do was to go to the forest, and gather twigs for a fire to keep himself warm until morning. It wasn’t many twigs he had gathered when twelve swans came near him.
“Love me!” said he. “I believe ye are the blessed birds that came from my father’s kingdom to be food to relieve me in need.”
“Sorry am I that I have ever looked on you or you on me,” said one of the swans; and the twelve rose and flew away.
Cud gathered the twigs for the fire, and dried the blood in his wounds. In the morning, Mucan Mor struck his own pole of combat. He and Cud faced each other, and fought till late in the day, when Mucan Mor rose as a lump of fog in the air. Cud went to the forest as before to gather twigs. It was few he had gathered when the twelve swans came again.
“Are ye the blessed birds from my own kingdom?” asked he.
“No,” said one of the swans; “but I put you under bonds not to turn me away as you did last night.”
“As you put me under bonds,” said Cud, “I will not turn you away.”
The twelve began to gather twigs, and it wasn’t long till they had a great fire made. One of the twelve sat at the fire then with Cud, and said, “There is nothing in the world to kill Mucan Mor but a certain apple. For the last three days I have been looking for that apple. I found it to-day, and have it here for you. To-morrow you’ll be getting the upper hand of Mucan Mor earlier than other days. He has no power to rise as a fog until a given hour. When the time comes, he’ll raise his two hands and be striving to go in the air. If you strike him then in the right side in the ribs with the apple, you’ll make a green stone of him. If you do not, he’ll come down and make a green stone of you.”
Cud took the apple, and had great thanks for the swan. She left down the best food then before him. She had the food with her always. Glad was he, for he was greatly in want of it after the fast of two days. She put her own wing and head over his head and sheltered him till day break. There wasn’t a wound on him next morning that wasn’t cured. As early as the day dawned she roused him.