As soon as the sun rose the Enchanter of the Black Back-Lands came out of the
house and stood beside the water-tank. "Come now," said he, "and I will show
you the first task you have to perform." He took him to where a herd of goats
was grazing. Away from the goats was a fawn with white feet and little bright
horns. The fawn saw them, bounded into the air, and raced away to the wood as
quickly as any arrow that a man ever shot from a bow.

"That is Whitefoot the Fawn," said the Enchanter of the Black Back-Lands. "She
grazes with my goats but none of my gillies can bring her into my goat-house.
Here is your first task--run down Whitefoot the Fawn and bring her with my
goats into the goat-shelter this evening." When he said that the Enchanter of
the Black Back-Lands went away laughing to himself.

"Good-by, my life," said the King of Ireland's Son, "I might as well try to
catch an eagle on the wing as to run down the deer that has gone out of sight
already." He sat down on the ground and his despair was great. Then his name
was called and he saw Fedelma coming towards him. She looked at him as though
she were in dread, and said, "What task has my father set you?" He told her
and then she smiled. "I was in dread it would be a more terrible task," she
said. "This one is easy. I can help you to catch Whitefoot the Fawn. But first
eat what I have brought you."


She put down bread and meat and wine, and they sat down and he ate and drank.
"I thought he might set you this task," she said, "and so I brought you
something from my father's store of enchanted things. Here are the Shoes of
Swiftness. With these on your feet you can run down Whitefoot the Fawn. But
you must catch her before she has gone very far away. Remember that she must
be brought in when the goats are going into their shelter at sunset. You will
have to walk back for all the time you must keep hold of her silver horns.