“I am the only creature who can show you, King’s Son. And if I were not old now I would carry you there on my back. But I can tell you how you can get there. Ride forward for a day, first with the sun before you and then with the sun at your back, until you come to the shore of a lake. Stay there until you see three swans flying down. They are the three daughters of the Enchanter of the Black Back-Lands. Mark the one who carries a green scarf in her mouth. She is the youngest daughter and the one who can help you. When the swans come to the ground they will transform themselves into maidens and bathe in the lake. Two will come out, put on their swanskins and transform themselves and fly away. But you must hide the swanskin that belongs to the youngest maiden. She will search and search and when she cannot find it she will cry out, ‘I would do anything in the world for the creature who would find my swanskin for me.’ Give the swanskin to her then, and tell her that the only thing she can do for you is to show you the way to her father’s dominion. She will do that, and so you will come to the House of the Enchanter of the Black Back-Lands. And now farewell to you, Son of King Connal.” Laheen the Eagle spread out her wings and flew away, and the King’s Son journeyed on, first with the sun before him and then with the sun at his back, until he came to the shore of a wide lake. He turned his horse away, rested himself on the ground, and as soon as the clear day came he began to watch for the three swans. III They came, they flew down, and when they touched the ground they transformed themselves into three maidens and went to bathe in the lake. The one who carried the green scarf left her swanskin under a bush. The King’s Son took it and hid it in a hollow tree. Two of the maidens soon came out of the water, put on their swanskins and flew away as swans. The younger maiden stayed for a while in the lake. Then she came out and began to search for her swanskin. She searched and searched, and at last the King’s Son heard her say, “I would do anything in the world for the creature who would find my swanskin for me.” Then he came from where he was hiding and gave her the swanskin. “I am the Son of the King of Ireland,” he said, “and I want you to show me the way to your father’s dominion.” “I would prefer to do anything else for you,” said the maiden. “I do not want anything else,” said the King of Ireland’s Son. “If I show you how to get there will you be content?” “I shall be content.” “You must never let my father know that I showed you the way. And he must not know when you come that you are the King of Ireland’s Son.” “I will not tell him you showed me the way and I will not let him know who I am.”