flowers imediately changed into coal black chargers. At last Shaun's mother saw her poor son coming out of the lios already mounted. She made her way towards him unpercieved and holding up the sacred relic she besought him to come back to her. Shaun's mount suddenly reared and he fell to the ground. He caught hold of the relic and held it between him and his captors. The fairies rushed here and there in their fury but Shaun eluded them and he and his mother and the old woman went home safely.Aileen Brennan