And you shall offer yourself to serve in his stable , and to tend his horses , till at length so well content is he , that he gives you the bay colt to wash and brush . But when you run away with her see that nought except the soles of her hoofs touch anything within the palace gates , or it will go ill with you . ' After he had thus counselled Ian Direach , the fox changed himself into a ship , and set sail for Erin . And the king of that country gave into Ian Direach 's hands the care of his horses , and never before did their skins shine so brightly or was their pace so swift . And the king was well pleased , and at the end of a month he sent for Ian and said to him : ` You have given me faithful service , and now I will entrust you with the most precious thing that my kingdom holds . ' And when he had spoken , he led Ian Direach to the stable where stood the bay colt . And Ian rubbed her and fed her , and galloped with her all round the country , till he could leave one wind behind him and catch the other which was in front . ' I am going away to hunt , ' said the king one morning while he was watching Ian tend the bay colt in her stable . ` The deer have come down from the hill , and it is time for me to give them chase . ' Then he went away ; and when he was no longer in sight , Ian Direach led the bay colt out of the stable , and sprang on her back . But as they rode through the gate , which stood between the palace and the outer world , the colt swished her tail against the post , which shrieked loudly . In a moment the king came running up , and he seized the colt 's bridle . ` If you want my bay colt , you must first bring me the daughter of the king of the Franks . ' 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 XXXXX forth such music . '
entrust galloped gives leave rode set swished tend told visit