truck 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 cannot 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 of you go thither on my shoulders.' So Kai and Gwrhyr went upon
the shoulders of the salmon, and were carried under the walls of the
prison, from which proceeded the sound of great weeping.

'Who is it that thus laments in this house of stone?'

'It is I, Mabon the son of Modron.'

'Will silver or gold bring thy freedom, or only battle and fighting?'
asked Gwrhyr again.

'By fighting alone shall I be set free,' said Mabon.

Then they sent a messenger to Arthur to tell him that Mabon was found,
and he brought all his warriors to the castle of Gloucester and fell
fiercely upon it; while Kai and Bedwyr went on the shoulders of the
salmon to the gate of the dungeon, and broke it down and carried away
Mabon. And he now being free returned home with Arthur.

After this, on a certain day, as Gwythyr was walking across a mountain
he heard a grievous cry, and he hastened towards it. In a little valley
he saw the heather burning and the fire spreading fast towards the
anthill, and all the ants were hurrying to and fro, not knowing whither
to go. Gwythyr had pity on them, and put out the fire, and in gratitude
the ants brought him the nine bushels of flax seed which Yspaddaden
Penkawr required of Kilweh. And many of the other marvels were done
likewise by Arthur and his knights, and at last it came to the fight
with Trwyth the board, to obtain the comb and the scissors and the razor
that lay between his ears. But hard was the boar to catch, and fiercely
did he fight when Arthur's men gave him battle, so that many of them
wer