dren of Lir reached the water's edge, Eva was there behind them,
holding in her hand a fairy wand. And with the wand she touched the
shoulder of each. And, lo! as she touched Finola, the maiden was changed
into a snow-white swan, and behold! as she touched Aed, Fiacra, and
Conn, the three brothers were as the maid. Four snow-white swans floated
on the blue lake, and to them the wicked Eva chanted a song of doom.

As she finished, the swans turned toward her, and Finola spake:

"Evil is the deed thy magic wand hath wrought, O Eva, on us the children
of Lir, but greater evil shall befall thee, because of the hardness and
jealousy of thine heart." And Finola's white swan-breast heaved as she
sang of their pitiless doom.

The song ended, again spake the swan-maiden: "Tell us, O Eva, when death
shall set us free."

And Eva made answer: "Three hundred years shall your home be on the
smooth waters of this lone lake. Three hundred years shall ye pass on
the stormy waters of the sea betwixt Erin and Alba, and three hundred
years shall ye be tempest-tossed on the wild Western Sea. Until Decca be
the Queen of Largnen, and the good saint come to Erin, and ye hear the
chime of the Christ-bell, neither your plaints nor prayers, neither the
love of your father Lir, nor the might of your King, Bove Derg, shall
have power to deliver you from your doom. But lone white swans though ye
be, ye shall keep forever your own sweet Gaelic speech, and ye shall
sing, with plaintive voices, songs so haunting that your music will
bring peace to the souls of those who hear. And still beneath your snowy
plumage shall beat the hearts of Finola, Aed, Fiacra and Conn, and still
forever shall ye be the children of Lir."

[Illustration: FOUR SNOW-WHITE SWANS FLOATED ON THE BLUE LAKE]

Then did Eva order the horses to be yoked to the chariot, and away
westward did she drive.

And swimming on the lone lake were four white swans.

When Eva reached the palace of Bove Derg alone, greatly was he troubled
lest evil had befallen the children of Lir.

But the attendants, because of their great fear of Eva, dared not to
tell the King of the magic spell she had wrought by the way. Therefore
Bove Derg asked, "Wherefore, O Eva, come not Finola and her brothers to
the palace this day?"

And Eva answered: "Because, O King, Lir no longer trusteth thee,
therefore would he not let the children come hither."

But Bove Derg believed not his foster-daughter, and t