the flesh became a froth, and all was blown away by the wind.

Then the King of Ireland's Son went through the sixth courtyard and came
to the seventh gate. And before it he saw the last of the sentinels. A
Hag, she was seated on the top of a water-tank taking white doves out of
a basket and throwing them to ravens that flew down from the walls and
tore the doves to pieces.

When the Hag saw the King of Ireland's Son she sprang down from the
water-tank and ran towards him with outstretched arms and long poisoned
nails. With a sweep of his sword he cut the nails from her hands. Ravens
picked up the nails, and then, as they tried to fly away, they fell
dead.

"The Sword of Light will take off your head if you do not take me on the
moment to where Fedelma is," said the King of Ireland's Son. "I am sorry
to do it," said the Hag, "but come, since you are the conqueror."

He followed the Hag into the Castle. In a net, hanging across a chamber,
he saw Fedelma. She was still, but she breathed. And the branch of
hawthorn that put her asleep was fresh beside her. Strands of her bright
hair came through the meshes of the net and were fastened to the wall.
With a sweep of the Sword of Light he cut the strands.

Her eyes opened. She saw the King of Ireland's Son, and the full light
came back to her eyes, and the full life into her face.

He cut the net from where it hung and laid it on the ground. He cut open
the meshes. Fedelma rose out of it and went into his arms.

He lifted her up and carried her out into the seventh courtyard. Then
the Hag who had been one of the sentinels came out of the Castle, closed
the door behind her and ran away into the mist, three ravens flying
after her.

And as for Fedelma and the King of Ireland's Son, they went through the
courtyards of the Castle and through the mists of the country and down
to the River of the Broken Towers. They found the Glashan broiling a
salmon upon hot stones. Salmon were coming from the sea and the Glashan
went in and caught more, The King of the Land of Mist 239 broiled and
gave them to the King of Ireland's Son and Fedelma to eat. The little
black water-hen came out of the river and they fed it. The next day the
King of Ireland's Son bade the Glashan take Fedelma on his shoulders and
carry her to the other shore of the River of the Broken Towers. And
he himself followed the little black water-hen who showed him all the
shallow places in the river so that he cros