The King's son did everything as the old man desired him, and when he gave the napkin to the daughter of the King of the Black Desert, he said, "I am the son of O'Conor, King of Connaught. Bring me to your father. Long am I seeking him."
"Would not it be better for me to do something else for you?" said she.
"If I show you the house will you not be satisfied?" said she.
"Now," said she, "upon your life do not tell my father that it was I who brought you to his house, and I shall be a good friend to you; but let on," said she, "that you have great powers of enchantment."
Then she made a swan of herself, and said, "Leap up on my back and put your hands under my neck, and keep a hard hold."
He did so, and she shook her wings, and off and away with her over hills and over glens, over sea and over mountains, until she came to earth as the sun was going under. Then she said to him, "Do you see that great house yonder? That is my father's house. Farewell. Any time that you are in danger I shall be at your side." Then she went from him.
The King's son went to the house and went in, and who should he see sitting in a golden chair but the grey old man who had played the cards and the ball with him.
"King's son," said he, "I see that you have found me out before the day and the year. How long since you left home?"
"This morning, when I was rising out of my bed, I saw a rainbow. I gave a leap, spread my two legs on it, and slid as far as this."
"By my hand, it was a great feat you performed," said the old King.
"I could do a more wonderful thing than that if I chose," said the King's son.
"I have three things for you to do," says the old King, "and if you are able to do them, you shall have the choice of my three daughters for wife, and unless you are able to do them, you shall lose your head, as a good many other young men have lost it before you."
"Then," he said, "there be's neither eating nor drinking in my house except once in the week, and we had it this morning."
"It's all one to me," said the King's son. "I could fast for a month if I were on a pinch."
"No doubt you can go without sleep also," says the old King.
"I can, without doubt," said the King's son.
"You shall have a hard bed to-night, then," says the old King. "Come with me till I show it to you." He brought him out then and showed him a great tree with a fork in it, and said, "Get up there and sleep in the fork, and be ready with the rise of the sun."