One by one the kids came home , and at every bleat someone hurried to open the door , but no sound broke the stillness . Through the night no one slept , and when morning broke and the mist rolled back , they sought the maiden by sea and by land , but never a trace of her could be found anywhere . Thus a year and a day slipped by , and at the end of it Gorla of the Flocks and his wife seemed suddenly to have grown old . Their sons too were sadder than before , for they loved their sister well , and had never ceased to mourn for her . At length Ardan the eldest spoke and said : ` It is now a year and a day since our sister was taken from us , and we have waited in grief and patience for her to return . Surely some evil has befallen her , or she would have sent us a token to put our hearts at rest ; and I have vowed to myself that my eyes shall not know sleep till , living or dead , I have found her . ' ` If you have vowed , then must you keep your vow , ' answered Gorla . ` But better had it been if you had first asked your father 's leave before you made it . Yet , since it is so , your mother will bake you a cake for you to carry with you on your journey . Who can tell how long it may be ? ' So the mother arose and baked not one cake but two , a big one and a little one . ` Choose , my son , ' said she . ` Will you have the little cake with your mother 's blessing , or the big one without it , in that you have set aside your father and taken on yourself to make a vow ? ' ' I will have the large cake , ' answered the youth ; ` for what good would my mother 's blessing do for me if I was dying of hunger ? ' And taking the big cake he went his way . Straight on he strode , letting neither hill nor river hinder him . Swiftly he walked -- swiftly as the wind that blew down the mountain . The eagles and the gulls looked on from their nests as he passed , leaving the deer behind him ; but at length he stopped , for hunger had seized on him , and he could walk no more . Trembling with fatigue he sat himself on a rock and broke a piece off his cake . ` Spare me a morsel , Ardan son of Gorla , ' asked a raven , fluttering down towards him .
` Seek food elsewhere , O bearer XXXXX ill-news , ' answered Ardan son of Gorla ; ` it is but little I have for myself . '
So Through as at of on since to towards with