task," said the Enchanter
of the Black Back-Lands. "More fit than ever in my life before," said
the King of Ireland's Son.

The Enchanter of the Black Back-Lands took him past the goat-house
and to where there was an open shelter for his bee-hives. "I want this
shelter thatched," said he, "and I want to have it thatched with the
feathers of birds. Go," said he, "and get enough feathers of wild birds
and come back and thatch the bee-hive shelter for me, and let it be done
before the set of sun." He gave the King's Son arrows and a bow and
a bag to put the feathers in, and advised him to search the moor for
birds. Then he went back to the house.

The King of Ireland's Son ran to the moor and watched for birds to fly
across. At last one came. He shot at it with an arrow but did not bring
it down. He hunted the moor all over but found no other bird. He hoped
that he would see Fedelma before his head was taken off.

Then he heard his name called and he saw Fedelma coming towards him. She
looked at him as before with dread in thier eyes and asked him what task
her father had set him. "A terrible task," he said, and he told her
what it was. Fedelma laughed. "I was in dread he would give you another
task," she said. "I can help you with this one. Sit down now and eat and
drink from what I have brought you."

He sat down and ate and drank and he felt hopeful seeing Fedelma beside
him. When he had eaten Fedelma said, "My blue falcon will gather the
birds and pull the feathers off for you. Still, unless you gather them
quickly there is danger, for the roof must be thatched with feathers at
the set of sun." She whistled and her blue falcon came. He followed
it across the moor. The blue falcon flew up in the air and gave a
bird-call. Birds gathered and she swooped amongst them pulling feathers
off their backs and out of their wings. Soon there was a heap of
feathers on the ground--pigeons' feathers and pie's feathers, crane's
and crow's, blackbird's and starling's. The King of Ireland's Son
quickly gathered them into his bag. The falcon flew to another place and
gave her bird-call again. The birds gathered, and she went amongst
them, plucking their feathers. The King's Son gathered them and the blue
falcon flew to another place. Over and over again the blue falcon called
to the birds and plucked out their feathers, and over and over again the
King's Son gathered them into his bag. When he thought he had feathers
enough to thatch