His followers said unto Arthur, “Lord, go thou home, thou canst not proceed with thy host in quest of such small adventures as these.”  Then said Arthur, “It were well for thee, Gurhyr Gwalstat, to go upon this quest, for thou knowest all languages, and art familiar with those of the birds and the beasts.  Thou, Eidoel, oughtest likewise to go with thy men in search of thy cousin.  And as for you, Kay and Bedwyr, I have hope of whatever adventure ye are in quest of, that ye will achieve it.  Achieve ye this adventure for me.”

They went forward until they came to the Ousel of Cilgwri.  And Gurhyr adjured her, saying, “Tell me if thou knowest aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken when three nights old from between his mother and the wall?” And the Ousel answered, “When I first came here, there was a smith’s anvil in this place, and I was then a young bird; and from that time no work has been done upon it, save the pecking of my beak every evening; and now there is not so much as the size of a nut remaining thereof; yet during all that time I have never heard of the man for whom you inquire.  Nevertheless, I will do that which it is fitting that I should for an embassy from Arthur.  There is a race of animals who were formed before me, and I will be your guide to them.”

So they proceeded to the place where was the Stag of Redynvre.  “Stag of Redynvre, behold, we are come to thee, an embassy from Arthur, for we have not heard of any animal older than thou.  Say, knowest thou aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when three nights old?” The Stag said, “When first I came hither there was a plain all around me, without any trees save one oak sapling, which grew up to be an oak with an hundred branches; and that oak has since perished, so that now nothing remains of it but the withered stump; and from that day to this I have been here, yet have I never heard of the man for whom you inquire.  Nevertheless, being an embassy from Arthur, I will be your guide to the place where there is an animal which was formed before I was, and the oldest animal in the world, and the one that has travelled most, the Eagle of Gwern Abwy.”

Gurhyr said, “Eagle of Gwern Abwy, we have come to thee, an embassy from Arthur, to ask thee if thou knowest aught of Mabon, the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when he was three nights old?” The Eagle said, “I have been here for a great space of time, and when I first came hither, there was a rock here from the top of which I pecked at the stars every evening; and it has crumbled away, and now it is not so much as a span high.  All that time I have been here, and I have never heard of the man for whom you inquire, except once when I went in search of food as far as Llyn Llyw.  And when I came there, I struck my talons into a salmon, thinking he would serve me as food for a long time.  But he drew me into the water, and I was scarcely able to escape from him.  After that I made peace with him.  And I drew fifty fish-spears out of his back, and relieved him.  Unless he know something of him whom you seek, I cannot tell who may.  However, I will guide you to the place where he is.”