"As for the skin of the pig, that is a treasure of Tuish, the King of
Greece. If it be laid upon a wounded man it will make him whole and
well, if only it overtake the breath of life in him. And do ye know
what is the spear that I demanded?"
"We do not," said they.
"It is the poisoned spear of Peisear, the King of Persia, and so
fierce is the spirit of war in it that it must be kept in a pot of
soporific herbs or it would fly out raging for death. And do ye know
what are the two horses and the chariot ye must get?"
"We do not know," said they.
"The steeds and the chariot belong to Dobar, King of Sicily. They are
magic steeds and can go indifferently over land and sea, nor can they
be killed by any weapon unless they be torn in pieces and their bones
cannot be found. And the seven pigs are the swine of Asal, King of the
Golden Pillars, which may be slain and eaten every night and the next
morning they are alive again.
"And the hound-whelp I asked of you is the whelp of the King of
Iorroway, that can catch and slay any beast in the world; hard it is
to get possession of that whelp.
"The cooking spit is one of the spits that the fairy women of the
Island of Finchory have in their kitchen.
"And the hill on which ye must give three shouts is the hill where
dwells Mochaen in the north of Lochlann.
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