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 to marry anyone whatsoever , until she should give up all hope of the coming of the man who released her from the spell . Now she can wait no longer , for three years is the time that she agreed with her father to remain without marrying . ' The Irishman knew that it was for himself she had been waiting so long , but he was unable to make any better of it , for he had no hope of reaching the Blue Mountains all his life . The old man noticed how sad he grew , and asked the Eagle what she would take for carrying this man on her back to the Blue Mountains . ' I must have threescore cattle killed , ' said she , ` and cut up into quarters , and every time I look over my shoulder he must throw one of them into my mouth . ' As soon as the Irishman and the old man heard her demand they went out hunting , and before evening they had killed three-score cattle .
They made quarters XXXXX them , as the Eagle told them , and then the old man asked her to lie down , till they would get it all heaped up on her back .
From after as before if of on than to until