is reach. When at last he gave up the quest his
knees trembled beneath him for very weariness, and glad was he to see a
tree growing close by lade with fruits of different sorts, of which he
ate greedily.

The sun was by now low in the heavens, and the cows left off feeding,
and turned their faces home again, followed by Ardan son of Gorla. At
the door of their stable the maiden stood awaiting them, and saying
nought to their herd, she sat down and began to milk. But it was not
milk that flowed into her pail; instead it was filled with a thin stream
of water, and as she rose up from the last cow the old man appeared
outside.

'Faithless one, you have betrayed your trust!' he said to Ardan son of
Gorla. 'Not even for one day could you keep true! Well, you shall have
your reward at once, that others may take warning from you.' And waving
his wand he touched with it the chest of the youth, who became a pillar
of stone.

Now Gorla of the Flocks and his wife were full of grief that they had
lost a son as well as a daughter, for no tidings had come to them of
Ardan their eldest born. At length, when two years and two days had
passed since the maiden had led her kids to feed on the mountain and had
been seen no more, Ruais, second son of Gorla, rose up one morning, and
said:

'Time is long without my sister and Ardan my brother. So I have vowed to
seek them wherever they may be.'

And his father answered:

'Better it had been if you had first asked my consent and that of your
mother; but as you have vowed so must you do.' Then he bade his wife
make a cake, but instead she made two, and offered Ruais his choice,
as she had done to Ardan. Like Ardan, Ruais chose the large, unblessed
cake, and set forth on his way, doing always, though he knew it not,
that which Ardan had done; so, needless is it to tell what befell him
till he too stood, a pillar of stone, on the hill behind the cottage,
so that all men might see the fate that awaited those who broke their
faith.

Another year and a day passed by, when Covan the Brown-haired, youngest
son of Gorla of the Flocks, one morning spake to his parents, saying:

'It is more than three years since my sister left us. My brothers have
also gone, no one know whither, and of us four none remains but I. No,
therefore, I long to seek them, and I pray you and my mother to place no
hindrance in my way.'

And his father answered:

'Go, then, and take our blessing with you.'

So th