"And now, how shall we set about the capture of the apples?" said
Brian.

"Draw sword and fight for them," said Iuchar and Iucharba, "and if we
are the stronger, we shall win them, and if not, we shall fall, as
fall we surely must ere the eric for Kian be paid."

"Nay," said Brian, "but whether we live or die, let not men say of us
that we went blind and headlong to our tasks, but rather that we made
the head help the hand, and that we deserved to win even though we
lost. Now my counsel is that we approach the garden in the shape of
three hawks, strong of wing, and that we hover about until the Wardens
of the Tree have spent all their darts and javelins in casting at us,
and then let us swoop down suddenly and bear off each of us an apple
if we may."

So it was agreed; and Brian struck himself and each of the brothers
with a druid wand, and they became three beautiful, fierce, and
strong-winged hawks. When the Wardens perceived them, they shouted and
threw showers of arrows and darts at them, but the hawks evaded all of
these until the missiles were spent, and then seized each an apple in
his talons. But Brian seized two, for he took one in his beak as well.
Then they flew as swiftly as they might to the shore where they had
left their boat. Now the King of that garden had three fair daughters,
to whom the apples and the garden were very dear, and he transformed
the maidens into three griffins, who pursued the hawks. And the
griffins threw darts of fire, as it were lightning, at the hawks.

"Brian!" then cried Iuchar and his brother, "we are being burnt by