At this the fisher 's son felt the cold creeping up to his heart , yet he knew the fault had not been his that sleep had overtaken him . ' I will search the whole world through till I find her , ' cried he , and the dark lad laughed as he heard him . But the fisher 's son took no heed , and off he went , following the sun day after day , till his shoes were in holes and his feet were sore from the journey . Nought did he see but the birds that made their nests in the trees , not so much as a goat or a rabbit . On and on and on he went , till suddenly he came upon a little house , with a woman standing outside it . ` All hail , fisher 's son ! ' said she . ' I know what you are seeking ; enter in and rest and eat , and to-morrow I will give you what help I can , and send you on your way . ' Gladly did Ian the fisher 's son accept her offer , and all that day he rested , and the woman gave him ointment to put on his feet , which healed his sores . At daybreak he got up , ready to be gone , and the woman bade him farewell , saying : ' I have a sister who dwells on the road which you must travel . It is a long road , and it would take you a year and a day to reach it , but put on these old brown shoes with holes all over them , and you will be there before you know it . Then shake them off , and turn their toes to the known , and their heels to the unknown , and they will come home of themselves . ' The fisher 's son did as the woman told him , and everything happened just as she had said . But at parting the second sister said to him , as she gave him another pair of shoes : ` Go to my third sister , for she has a son who is keeper of the birds of the air , and sends them to sleep when night comes . He is very wise , and perhaps he can help you . ' Then the young man thanked her , and went to the third sister . The third sister was very kind , but had no counsel to give him , so he ate and drank and waited till her son came home , after he had sent all the birds to sleep . He thought a long while after his mother had told him the young man 's story , and at last he said that he was hungry , and the cow must be killed , as he wanted some supper . So the cow was killed and the meat cooked , and a bag made of its red skin . ` Now get into the bag , ' bade the son , and the young man got in and took his gun with him , but the dog and the falcon he left outside .
The keeper of the birds drew the string at the top of the bag , and left it to finish his supper , when in flew an eagle through the open door , and picked the bag up XXXXX her claws and carried it through the air to an island .
So at from in into of on over to with