The Oldest Animals

The Ousel of Cilgwri did not know

Though she had pecked at an anvil each day

She had lived and over the years

Had worn it away so long was her life.


So she took them to the Stag of Redynfre

Who did not know though he had watched

An oak grow from a sapling which now

Was a withered stump, so he took them to


The Owl of Cwm Cowlyd, who would tell if she knew

But though she had watched three forests

Rise and fall and her wings were stumps

She did not know, but she took them to


The Eagle of Gwernabwy who was so old

That the rock from which he once pecked the stars

Was now less than the height of a man

But he had not heard tell of Mabon


Once, though, he had caught the Salmon of Llyn Llyw

Who dragged him under the water

And would have drowned him, but they made a truce.

So they went to the Salmon of Llyn Llyw


The Salmon was so old that he remembered

The dungeon of Mabon at Caer Loyw

So Arthur besieged it and rescued Mabon

Son of Modron from out of the darkness into the light.

(From an episode in the medieval Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen)