I am going about asking for the Blue Mountains , ' said the Irishman . ` The Blue Mountains ? ' said the old man . ` Yes , ' said the Irishman . ' I never heard the name before ; but if they do exist I shall find them out . I am master of all the birds in the world , and have only to blow my whistle and every one will come to me . I shall then ask each of them to tell where it came from , and if there is any way of finding out the Blue Mountains that is it . ' So he blew his whistle , and when he blew it then all the birds of the world began to gather . The old man questioned each of them as to where they had come from , but there was not one of them that had come from the Blue Mountains . After he had run over them all , however , he missed a big Eagle that was wanting , and wondered that it had not come . Soon afterwards he saw something big coming towards him , darkening the sky . It kept coming nearer and growing bigger , and what was this after all but the Eagle ? When she arrived the old man scolded her , and asked what had kept her so long behind . ' I could n't help it , ' she said ; ' I had more than twenty times further to come than any bird that has come here to-day . ' ` Where have you come from , then ? ' said the old man . ` From the Blue Mountains , ' said she . ` Indeed ! ' said the old man ; and what are they doing there ? ' ` They are making ready this very day , ' said the Eagle , ` for the marriage of the daughter of the King of the Blue Mountains .
For three years now she has refused XXXXX marry anyone whatsoever , until she should give up all hope of the coming of the man who released her from the spell .
So after before for if nearer of over than to