f my falcon. Now I think I
can leave her with you for one day, and before nightfall I shall be back
again.'

Scarcely was the giant out of sight next morning when Ian Direach seized
the falcon, and throwing a cloth over her head hastened with her to
the door. But the rays of the sun pierced through the thickness of the
cloth, and as they passed the doorpost she gave a spring, and the tip of
one of her feathers touched the post, which gave a scream, and brought
the giant back in three strides. Ian Direach trembled as he saw him; but
the giant only said:

'If you wish for my falcon you must first bring me the White Sword of
Light that is in the house of the Big Women of Dhiurradh.'

'And where do they live?' asked Ian. But the giant answered:

'Ah, that is for you to discover.' And Ian dared say no more, and
hastened down to the waste. There, as he hoped, he met his friend Gille
Mairtean the fox, who bade him eat his supper and lie down to sleep. And
when he had wakened next morning the fox said to him:

'Let us go down to the shore of the sea.' And to the shore of the sea
they went. And after they had reached the shore, and beheld the sea
stretching before them, and the isle of Dhiurradh in the midst of it,
the soul of Ian sank, and he turned to Gille Mairtean and asked why he
had brought him thither, for the giant, when he had sent him, had known
full well that without a boat he could never find the Big Women.

'Do not be cast down,' answered the fox, 'it is quite easy! I will
change myself into a boat, and you shall go on board me, and I will
carry you over the sea to the Seven Big Women of Dhiurradh. Tell them
that you are skilled in brightening silver and gold, and in the end they
will take you as servant, and if you are careful to please them they
will give you the White Sword of Light to make bright and shining. But
when you seek to steal it, take heed that its sheath touches nothing
inside the house, or ill will befall you.'

So Ian Direach did all things as the fox had told him, and the Seven
Big Women of Dhiurradh took him for their servant, and for six weeks he
worked so hard that his seven mistresses said to each other: 'Never has
a servant had the skill to make all bright and shining like this one.
Let us give him the White Sword of Light to polish like the rest.'

Then they brought forth the White Sword of Light from the iron closet
where it hung, and bade him rub it till he could see his face in the