At the same time AEda, the dwarf and poet of Ulster, returned hale and well from the land of Faylinn, and much did he entertain the King and all the court with tales of the smallness of the Wee Folk, and their marvel at his own size, and their bravery and beauty, and their marble palaces and matchless minstrelsy.

So the King, Fergus mac Leda, was well content to take a ransom, namely the magic shoes, which he desired above all the treasures of Faylinn, and to let Iubdan go.  And he gave him rich gifts, as did also the nobles of Ulster, and wished him blessing and victory; and Iubdan he departed, with Bebo his wife, having first bestowed upon Fergus the magical shoes.  And of him the tale hath now no more to say.

But Fergus never tired of donning the shoes of Iubdan and traversing the secret depths of the lakes and rivers of Ulster.  Thereby, too, in the end he got his death, for as the wise say that the gifts of Faery may not be enjoyed without peril by mortal men, so in this case too it proved.  For, one day as Fergus was exploring the depths of Loch Rury he met the monster, namely the river-horse, which inhabited that lake.  Horrible of form it was, swelling and contracting like a blacksmith’s bellows, and with eyes like torches, and glittering tusks, and a mane of coarse hair on its crest and neck.  When it saw Fergus it laid back its ears, and its neck arched like a rainbow over his head, and the vast mouth gaped to devour him.  Then Fergus rose quickly to the surface and made for the land, and the beast after him, driving before it a huge wave of foam.  Barely did he escape with his life; but with the horror of the sight his features were distorted and his mouth was twisted around to the side of his head, so that he was called Fergus Wry-mouth from that day forth.  And the gillie that was with him told the tale of the adventure.

Now there was a law in Ireland that no man might be king who was disfigured by any bodily blemish.  His people, therefore, loving Fergus, kept from him all knowledge of his condition, and the Queen let all mirrors that were in the palace be put away.  But one day it chanced that a bondmaid was negligent in preparing the bath, and Fergus being impatient, gave her a stroke with a switch which he had in his hand.  The maid in anger turned upon him, and cried, “It would better become thee to avenge thyself on the riverhorse that hath twisted thy mouth, than to do brave deeds on women.”

Fergus then bade a mirror be fetched, and when he saw his face in it, he said, “The woman spake truth; the riverhorse of Loch Rury has done this thing.”

[Illustration:  “Fergus goes down into the lake”]

The next day Fergus put on the shoes of Iubdan and went forth to Loch Rury, and with him went the lords of Ulster.  And when he reached the margin of the lake he drew his sword and went down into it, and soon the waters covered him.