d came and the boat
that was from his grandmother's crutch was blown out of the
harbour and Feet-in-the-Ashes was left without any companion
on the Island.

"Cluck, cluck, cluck," said the Hen-grouse, "he found the Stone of
Victory, but what good were his findings to him when he didn't know
what he had found and he let it be taken from him?"

[Illustration]

"But if he hadn't to find it he couldn't have slain the Giant and
taken the cup out of the iron cupboard--that much good the Stone of
Victory did him," said the Cock-grouse.

"I'm sorry to think that that's all he got from the Stone of Victory,"
said the Hen-grouse.

"Well, that's all he got from it, and be quiet now till I tell you the
rest of the story," said the Cock-grouse.

He went into the courtyard of the Grey Castle and he found
there a great eagle that was chained to a great rock. The
eagle came towards him as far as the chain would let him.
"Feed me," said the eagle.

"Will you carry me to Ireland's ground if I feed you?" said
Feet-in-the-Ashes.

"If you feed me every time I open my mouth, I will," said the
eagle.

"That I'll try to do, good eagle," said Feet-in-the-Ashes.

He went through courtyard and pen-fold but not a sheep nor a
pig nor a bullock could he find. It seemed as if he would not
be able to find meat for the eagle after all. He went down to
the sea-shore and he came upon a pool filled with thin bony
fish called skates. He took a basket of these and put it on
his back. He came back to the courtyard and he unlocked the
chain that held the eagle.

"Feed me," said the eagle, and he opened his mouth.

"Close your eyes and I'll fill you mouth," said
Feet-in-the-Ashes.

The eagle closed his eyes. Feet-in-the-Ashes flung a score
of skates into his mouth. "Hard meat, hard meat," said the
eagle, but he gulped them down. Feet-in-the-Ashes, holding
the cup in his hands and carrying the basket of skates on his
back, put himself between the wings of the eagle. The eagle
flew up and over the Grey Castle and faced for the plain of
the sea.

They travelled from the morning light until the full
noontide. The eagle opened his mouth again. Feet-in-the-Ashes
put nothing into it. The eagle finding nothing in his mouth
dropped down to the sea.

"Close you eyes," said Feet-in-the-Ashes, "and I'll fill your