said the second gray woman . `` You have taken it yourself , sister , '' said the first gray woman . `` Have you lost the eye , sister ? have you lost the eye ? '' said the third gray woman ; `` shall we never find it again , and see old times coming back ? '' Then the boy slipped from behind them out of the cold cave into the air , and he laughed aloud . When the gray women heard that laugh they began to weep , for now they knew that a stranger had robbed them , and that they could not help themselves , and their tears froze as they fell from the hollows where no eyes were , and rattled on the icy ground of the cave . Then they began to implore the boy to give them their eye back again , and he could not help being sorry for them , they were so pitiful . But he said he would never give them the eye till they told him the way to the Fairies of the Garden . Then they wrung their hands miserably , for they guessed why he had come , and how he was going to try to win the Terrible Head . Now the Dreadful Women were akin to the Three Gray Sisters , and it was hard for them to tell the boy the way . But at last they told him to keep always south , and with the land on his left and the sea on his right , till he reached the Island of the Fairies of the Garden . Then he gave them back the eye , and they began to look out once more for the old times coming back again . But the boy flew south between sea and land , keeping the land always on his left hand , till he saw a beautiful island crowned with flowering trees . There he alighted , and there he found the Three Fairies of the Garden . They were like three very beautiful young women , dressed one in green , one in white , and one in red , and they were dancing and singing round an apple tree with apples of gold , and this was their song : THE SONG OF THE WESTERN FAIRIES Round and round the apples of gold , Round and round dance we ; Thus do we dance from the days of old About the enchanted tree ; Round , and round , and round we go , While the spring is green , or the stream shall flow , Or the wind shall stir the sea ! There is none may taste of the golden fruit Till the golden new time come Many a tree shall spring from shoot , Many a blossom be withered at root , Many a song be dumb ; Broken and still shall be many a lute Or ever the new times come ! Round and round the tree of gold , Round and round dance we , So doth the great world spin from of old , Summer and winter , and fire and cold , Song that is sung , and tale that is told , Even as we dance , that fold and unfold Round the stem of the fairy tree ! These grave dancing fairies were very unlike the Grey Women , and they were glad to see the boy , and treated him kindly . Then they asked him why he had come ; and he told them how he was sent to find the Sword of Sharpness and the Cap of Darkness .
And the fairies gave him these , and a wallet , and a shield , and belted the sword , which had a diamond blade , round his waist , and the cap they set XXXXX his head , and told him that now even they could not see him though they were fairies .
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