With slow steps went Ian Direach down to the shore where Gille Mairtean the fox awaited him . ` Plainly I see that you have not done as I bid you , nor will you ever do it , ' spoke Gille Mairtean the fox ; ` but I will help you yet again for a third time I will change myself into a ship , and we will sail to France . ' And to France they sailed , and , as he was the ship , the Gille Mairtean sailed where he would , and ran himself into the cleft of a rock , high on to the land . Then , he commanded Ian Direach to go up to the king 's palace , saying that he had been wrecked , that his ship was made fast in a rock , and that none had been saved but himself only . Ian Direach listened to the words of the fox , and he told a tale so pitiful , that the king and queen , and the princess their daughter , all came out to hear it . And when they had heard , nought would please them except to go down to the shore and visit the ship , which by now was floating , for the tide was up . Torn and battered was she , as if she had passed through many dangers , yet music of a wondrous sweetness poured forth from within . ` Bring hither a boat , ' cried the princess , ` that I may go and see for myself the harp that gives forth such music . ' And a boat was brought , and Ian Direach stepped in to row it to the side of the ship . To the further side he rowed , so that none could see , and when he helped the princess on board he gave a push to the boat , so that she could not get back to it again . And the music sounded always sweeter , though they could never see whence it came , and sought it from one part of the vessel to another . When at last they reached the deck and looked around them , nought of land could they see , or anything save the rushing waters . The princess stood silent , and her face grew grim . At last she said : ` An ill trick have you played me ! What is this that you have done , and whither are we going ? ' ` It is a queen you will be , ' answered Ian Direach , ` for the king of Erin has sent me for you , and in return he will give me his bay colt , that I may take him to the Seven Big Women of Dhiurradh , in exchange for the White Sword of Light . This I must carry to the giant of the Five Heads and Five Necks and Five Humps , and , in place of it , he will bestow on me the blue falcon , which I have promised my stepmother , so that she may free me from the spell which she has laid on me . ' ' I would rather be wife to you , ' answered the princess . By-and-by the ship sailed into a harbour on the coast of Erin , and cast anchor there . And Gille Mairtean the fox bade Ian Direach tell the princess that she must bide yet a while in a cave amongst the rocks , for they had business on land , and after a while they would return to her .
Then they took a boat and rowed up to some rocks , and as they touched the land Gille Mairtean changed himself XXXXX a fair woman , who laughed , and said to Ian Direach , ' I will give the king a fine wife . '
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