How to find out the symlink source (without readlink)

$ cat basher
#!/usr/local/bin/bash
string="lrwxr-xr-x 1 mmmm users 66 Sep 4 09:58 LINK_SEND -> /apps/aaa/home/mmmm/FFFFF/Apps/RRRRRR/unit_tests/TARGET_SEND"
echo $string
string=${string##* }
echo $string
string=${string%/*}
echo $string
exit 0
$
$
$ ./basher
lrwxr-xr-x 1 mmmm users 66 Sep 4 09:58 LINK_SEND -> /apps/aaa/home/mmmm/FFFFF/Apps/RRRRRR/unit_tests/TARGET_SEND
/apps/aaa/home/mmmm/FFFFF/Apps/RRRRRR/unit_tests/TARGET_SEND
/apps/aaa/home/mmmm/FFFFF/Apps/RRRRRR/unit_tests
$

source