he is the youngest daughter and
the one who can help you. When the swans come to the ground they will
transform themselves into maidens and bathe in the lake. Two will come
out, put on their swanskins and transform themselves and fly away. But
you must hide the swanskin that belongs to the youngest maiden. She will
search and search and when she cannot find it she will cry out, 'I would
do anything in the world for the creature who would find my swanskin for
me.' Give the swanskin to her then, and tell her that the only thing she
can do for you is to show you the way to her father's dominion. She will
do that, and so you will come to the House of the Enchanter of the Black
Back-Lands. And now farewell to you, Son of King Connal."

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 b