And the youngest of them fetched the White Sword of Light , and gave it into the hands of Ian Direach , who took off the golden saddle and the silver bridle , and went down the hill with the sword to the place where the princess and the real colt awaited him . ` Now we shall have the ride that we have longed for ! ' cried the Seven Big Women ; and they saddled and bridled the colt , and the eldest one got upon the saddle . Then the second sister sat on the back of the first , and the third on the back of the second , and so on for the whole seven . And when they were all seated , the eldest struck her side with a whip and the colt bounded forward . Over the moors she flew , and round and round the mountains , and still the Big Women clung to her and snorted with pleasure . At last she leapt high in the air , and came down on top of Monadh the high hill , where the crag is . And she rested her fore feet on the crag , and threw up her hind legs , and the Seven Big Women fell over the crag , and were dead when they reached the bottom . And the colt laughed , and became a fox again and galloped away to the sea shore , where Ian Direach , and the princess and the real colt and the White Sword of Light were awaiting him . ' I will make myself into a ship , ' said Gille Mairtean the fox , ` and will carry you and the princess , and the bay colt and the White Sword of Light , back to the land . ' And when the shore was reached , Gille Mairtean the fox took back his own shape , and spoke to Ian Direach in this wise : ` Let the princess and the White Sword of Light , and the bay colt , remain among the rocks , and I will change myself into the likeness of the White Sword of Light , and you shall bear me to the giant , and , instead , he will give you the blue falcon . ' And Ian Direach did as the fox bade him , and set out for the giant 's castle . From afar the giant beheld the blaze of the White Sword of Light , and his heart rejoiced ; and he took the blue falcon and put it in a basket , and gave it to Ian Direach , who bore it swiftly away to the place where the princess , and the bay colt , and the real Sword of Light were awaiting him . So well content was the giant to possess the sword he had coveted for many a year , that he began at once to whirl it through the air , and to cut and slash with it . For a little while Gille Mairtean let the giant play with him in this manner ; then he turned in the giant 's hand , and cut through the Five Necks , so that the Five Heads rolled on the ground . Afterwards he went back to Ian Direach and said to him : ` Saddle the colt with the golden saddle , and bridle her with the silver bridle , and sling the basket with the falcon over your shoulders , and hold the White Sword of Light with its back against your nose . Then mount the colt , and let the princess mount behind you , and ride thus to your father 's palace . But see that the back of the sword is ever against your nose , else when your stepmother beholds you , she will change you into a dry faggot . If , however , you do as I bid you , she will become herself a bundle of sticks . ' Ian Direach hearkened to the words of Gille Mairtean , and his stepmother fell as a bundle of sticks before him ; and he set fire to her , and was free from her spells for ever .
After that he married the princess , who was the best wife XXXXX all the islands of the West .
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