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50 M R D U T H.
Fate frowns, and the feeble retire from dan=
gef. The voice of the ftorm is heard and
the fons of little men fly to the cottage ; but
the rock meets the breath of the north, and
fhakes not. The courfe of the ftorm is
abroad ; but oaks of ftrength raife their heads
regardlefs of its wraih.
Say, then, chiefs, are we of the fons of little
men? Are our fpears feeble twigs fprung from
Albin's oaks of ftrengrh ?
The force of many foes rufhed from the
north in the days of other years. Did our
fathers fly before them ? — No, warriors ! they
fled not from the ftrength of thoufands Their
fpears rofe high : The fons of the fea fank be-
fore them. Shall we then fly on the hills of
their triumph, where the ghofts of the foe
were wont to murmur from the whirlwind as
they fled from tomb to tomb ?—Thefe gray
ftones, the marks of other battles, lift their
moffy heads in the face of heaven, and feera
to fay, * Your fathers fled not.'
The king fpoke. The chiefs flood fixed in
grief. By times they viewed their fpears, and
grafped their bofly Ihields. Swords were half-
unflieathed,
Fate frowns, and the feeble retire from dan=
gef. The voice of the ftorm is heard and
the fons of little men fly to the cottage ; but
the rock meets the breath of the north, and
fhakes not. The courfe of the ftorm is
abroad ; but oaks of ftrength raife their heads
regardlefs of its wraih.
Say, then, chiefs, are we of the fons of little
men? Are our fpears feeble twigs fprung from
Albin's oaks of ftrengrh ?
The force of many foes rufhed from the
north in the days of other years. Did our
fathers fly before them ? — No, warriors ! they
fled not from the ftrength of thoufands Their
fpears rofe high : The fons of the fea fank be-
fore them. Shall we then fly on the hills of
their triumph, where the ghofts of the foe
were wont to murmur from the whirlwind as
they fled from tomb to tomb ?—Thefe gray
ftones, the marks of other battles, lift their
moffy heads in the face of heaven, and feera
to fay, * Your fathers fled not.'
The king fpoke. The chiefs flood fixed in
grief. By times they viewed their fpears, and
grafped their bofly Ihields. Swords were half-
unflieathed,
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| Early Gaelic Book Collections > J. F. Campbell Collection > Works of the Caledonian bards > (58) |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/82480280 |
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| Description | Translated from the Galic, / by John Clark, F.S.A. Scot. Translator (author?) named in second edition: John Clark. Purports to be translations from the Gaelic but may be original. cf. Dict. nat. biog. (Clark, John, d. 1807). Preface. -- Introduction to the translations. -- Morduth, an antient heroic poem [by Douthah] -- The Chief of Scarlaw. -- The Chief of Feyglen. -- The cave of Creyla. -- Colmala and Orwi. -- The old bard's wish. -- Duchoil's elegy. -- Sulvina's elegy. -- Oran-Molla. -- The words of woe. -- The approach of summer. -- The antient chief [by Callum Ruadh]. |
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| Shelfmark | Cam.1.g.11 |
| Additional NLS resources: | |
| Attribution and copyright: |
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More information
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| Description | Volumes from a collection of 610 books rich in Highland folklore, Ossianic literature and other Celtic subjects. Many of the books annotated by John Francis Campbell of Islay, who assembled the collection. |
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| Description | Selected items from five 'Special and Named Printed Collections'. Includes books in Gaelic and other Celtic languages, works about the Gaels, their languages, literature, culture and history. |
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