Then he heard his name called and he saw Fedelma coming towards him. She
looked at him as before with dread in tier eyes and asked him what task her
father had set him. "A terrible task," he said, and he told her what it was.
Fedelma laughed. "I was in dread he would give you another task," she said. "I
can help you with this one. Sit down now and eat and drink from what I have
brought you."

He sat down and ate and drank and he felt hopeful seeing Fedelma beside him.
When he had eaten Fedelma said, "My blue falcon will gather the birds and pull
the feathers off for you. Still, unless you gather them quickly there is
danger, for the roof must be thatched with feathers at the set of sun." She
whistled and her blue falcon came. He followed it across the moor. The blue
falcon flew up in the air and gave a bird-call. Birds gathered and she swooped
amongst them pulling feathers off their backs and out of their wings. Soon
there was a heap of feathers on the ground--pigeons' feathers and pie's
feathers, crane's and crow's, blackbird's and starling's. The King of
Ireland's Son quickly gathered them into his bag. The falcon flew to another
place and gave her bird-call again. The birds gathered, and she went amongst
them, plucking their feathers. The King's Son gathered them and the blue
falcon flew to another place. Over and over again the blue falcon called to
the birds and plucked out their feathers, and over and over again the King's
Son gathered them into his bag. When he thought he had feathers enough to
thatch the roof he ran back to the shelter. He began the thatching, binding
the feathers down with little willow rods. He had just finished when the sun
went down. The old Enchanter came up and when he saw what the King's Son had
done he was greatly surprised. "You surely learned from the wizard you were
apprenticed to," said he.. "But to-morrow I will try you with another task. Go
now and sleep in the place where you were last night." The King's Son, glad
that the head was still on his shoulders, went and lay down in the water-tank.