His eye was straight and his hand steady , but the falcon 's flight was swift , and he only shot a feather from her wing . As the sun was now low over the sea he put the feather in his game bag , and set out homewards . ` Have you brought me much game to-day ? ' asked his stepmother as he entered the hall . ` Nought save this , ' he answered , handing her the feather of the blue falcon , which she held by the tip and gazed at silently . Then she turned to Ian and said : ' I am setting it on you as crosses and as spells , and as the fall of the year ! That you may always be cold , and wet and dirty , and that your shoes may ever have pools in them , till you bring me hither the blue falcon on which that feather grew . ' ` If it is spells you are laying I can lay them too , ' answered Ian Direach ; ` and you shall stand with one foot on the great house and another on the castle , till I come back again , and your face shall be to the wind , from wheresoever it shall blow . ' Then he went away to seek the bird , as his stepmother bade him ; and , looking homewards from the hill , he saw the queen standing with one foot on the great house , and the other on the castle , and her face turned towards whatever tempest should blow . On he journeyed , over hills , and through rivers till he reached a wide plain , and never a glimpse did he catch of the falcon . Darker and darker it grew , and the small birds were seeking their nests , and at length Ian Direach could see no more , and he lay down under some bushes and sleep came to him . And in his dream a soft nose touched him , and a warm body curled up beside him , and a low voice whispered to him : ` Fortune is against you , Ian Direach ; I have but the cheek and the hoof of a sheep to give you , and with these you must be content . ' With that Ian Direach awoke , and beheld Gille Mairtean the fox . Between them they kindled a fire , and ate their supper . Then Gille Mairtean the fox bade Ian Direach lie down as before , and sleep till morning . And in the morning , when he awoke , Gille Mairtean said : ` The falcon that you seek is in the keeping of the Giant of the Five Heads , and the Five Necks , and the Five Humps . I will show you the way to his house , and I counsel you to do his bidding , nimbly and cheerfully , and , above all , to treat his birds kindly , for in this manner he may give you his falcon to feed and care for . And when this happens , wait till the giant is out of his house ; then throw a cloth over the falcon and bear her away with you . Only see that not one of her feathers touches anything within the house , or evil will befall you . ' ' I thank you for your counsel , ' spake Ian Direach , ` and I will be careful to follow it . '
Then he took the path XXXXX the giant 's house .
If On as by from of save to towards with