Blair Collection > Galic antiquities

A P O E M. 191
the darkened fliield of a ghoft, hung on high in his own airy
hall * ! She meets a fon of age in the woods. Bending, he weeps
over a gray ftone. " Here," he faid, " fleeps the fpoufc of my lovej
here, I reared over her the green turf. — Many were our days on the
heath. We have feen one race, like the leaf of autumn, pafs : we
have feen another lift in its place its green head, and grow old. We
have turned away our foot from trees, left we might crufh them in
youth; and we have feen them again decay with years. We have feen
flreams changing their covirfe ; and nettles growing where feafled
kings. All this while our joy remained ; our days were glad. The
winter with all its fnow was warm, and the night with all its
clouds was bright. The face of Minalla was a light that never knew
a wane ; an undecaying beam around my fleps. But nowfhe fliines
in other lands ; when, my love, fliall I be with tliee ?.
" There too, fair maid, tliou beholdefl another tomb. Under it
is the cold bed of the fon of Colla. It was made by the trembling^
hand of his father. By the boar of the woods my fon was flain.
He fell near the cave of his dwelUng. His fpoufe was preparing
the feaft for his return; ' I go,' I faid, ' to look for his coming.' I
went; I heard his cry ; I ran with the fliort fteps of age to affifl
him. Hanging by my robe, his fon attends. We find his father
dead. The boar had broke his fpear in twain ; and the fword in
his cave was left. His child takes him by the hand, and bids him
rife. ' Why,' he faid, ' fliouldft tliou fleep without ?' — Alas ! he
hears
* The original word (Ealachaiim tai-
bhfe) fignifies properly '< the armoury of '"'=' ^ ''"ShaJ g" feimh a 'soUlfe'
_ „i,„n. » rri r 1 -r ,-1 Mar ghcalach ri oidhche fhaimhe;
agholt. 1 he whole companfon, which c- 1 rj . u t,,..
_ r » Si gluafad ro na neula balbha,
k exceedingly beautiful, as well as fanci- Mar fgia air edachahm taibhfc.
fu), is fubjpined.