"Blow again," said Little Fawn.

And Ardan blew again and he blew louder.

"Now look into the sky," said Little Fawn, "and tell me what you see
coming towards us."

Ardan looked for a long time, and at last he saw what he thought was a
cloud coming towards the mountain-top. And then he saw that the cloud
was a flock of birds. They came to the mountain-top and lighted on the
ground--Peewits, Blackbirds, Starlings, Finches, Linnets--and each was
bigger than any bird he had ever seen. The birds were hardly afraid of
the hound, but Conbeg went amongst them and drove them away.

And then another cloud was seen coming across the sky, and this cloud
came to be a flock of birds too, and they came to the mountain-top and
lighted on the ground--Linnets, Finches, Starlings, Blackbirds,
Peewits--and each bird was bigger than the birds in the first flock.
"Loose the hound on them," said Little Fawn. Ardan unslipped Conbeg
and the hound went amongst the birds. But they were not afraid and
they attacked the hound, and only his strength and courage was so
great they would have driven him off the mountain-top.

They rose up and they flew away, and as they did another flock of
birds came towards the mountain-top. They lighted on the
ground--Peewits, Blackbirds, Starlings, Finches, Linnets--tremendous
birds. Ardan loosed Conbeg on them. Then with beaks open and claws
outstretched they flew at Ardan and Little Fawn. Little Fawn took his
great sword in hand and he attacked them with such strength that the
great birds flew off.

All flew from the mountain except one bird. He was a Blackbird and the
greatest amongst them all. When Ardan told Little Fawn that this bird
was left alone on a rock the Big Man told him to unloose Conbeg.

The hound dashed at the Blackbird but the blackbird flew at him and
attacked him with beak and claws. With a sweep of his wing he threw
Conbeg on the ground. Then he rose up in the air and flew towards
Ardan and Little Fawn.

"You will escape him," said Ardan, "but me he will kill as he has
killed Conbeg." "Put the missile-ball into my hand and guide my aim,"
said Little Fawn. Ardan put the missile-ball of brass into the Big
Man's hand and guided his aim. Little Fawn threw the missile-ball and
the Blackbird fell down on the ground. But the bird was not killed.

"A frightening tale, a frightening tale," said the Blue Hen.

"So it is, so it is," said the Feather-legged Hen.

"But you have done well t