Nevertheless , as you are Arthur 's men , I will guide you to the place where there is an animal older than I ' ; and the stag ran before them till he reached the owl of Cwm Cawlwyd . But when they inquired of the owl if he knew aught of Mabon he shook his head . ` When first I came hither , ' said he , ` the valley was a wooded glen ; then a race of men came and rooted it up . After that there grew a second wood , and then a third , which you see . Look at my wings also -- are they not withered stumps ? Yet until to-day I have never heard of the man you name . Still , I will guide you to the oldest animal in the world , and the one that has travelled most , the eagle of Gwern Abbey . ' And he flew before them , as fast as his old wings would carry him , till he reached the eagle of Gwern Abbey , but when they inquired of the eagle whether he knew aught of Mabon he shook his head . ` When I first came hither , ' said the eagle , ` there was a rock here , and every evening I pecked at the stars from the top of it . Now , behold , it is not even a span high ! But only once have I heard of the man you name , and that was when I went in search of food as far as Llyn Llyw . I swooped down upon a salmon , and struck my claws into him , but he drew me down under water till scarcely could I escape him . Then I summoned all my kindred to destroy him , but he made peace with me , and I took fifty fish spears from his back . Unless he may know something of the man whom you seek I can not tell who may . But I will guide you to the place where he is . ' So they followed the eagle , who flew before them , though so high was he in the sky , it was often hard to mark his flight . At length he stopped above a deep pool in a river . ` Salmon of Llyn Llyw , ' he called , ' I have come to thee with an embassy from Arthur to inquire if thou knowest aught concerning Mabon the son of Modron . ' And the salmon answered : ` As much as I know I will tell thee . With every tide I go up the river , till I reach the walls of Gloucester , and there have I found such wrong as I never found elsewhere .
And that you may see that what I say is true let two XXXXX you go thither on my shoulders . '
After At Unless With before in into of than whether