Ossian Collection > Fingal

A P O E M. 109
O Ron NAN ! faid the rifing Olcar, Ogar king of fpears ! call my
heroes to my fide, the fons of flreamy Morven. To-day we go to
Lano's water, that fends forth the cloud of death. Cormalo will not
long rejoice : death is often at the point of our fwords.
They came over the defart like ftormy clouds, when the winds
roll them over the heath : their edges are tinged with lightning :
and the ecchoing groves forefee the ftorm. The horn of Ofcar's
battle is heard ; and Lano fhook over all its waves. The children
of the lake convened around the founding fliield of Cormalo.
Oscar fought, as he was wont in battle. Cormalo fell beneath
his fword : and the fons of the difmal Lano fled to their fecret vales.
Ofcar brought the daughter of Inis-thona to Annir's ecchoing
halls. The face of age is bright with joy; he bleft the king of
fwords.
How great was the joy of Offian, when he beheld the diftant fail
of his fon ! it was like a cloud of light that rifes in the eaft, when
the traveller is fad in a land unknown ; and difmal night, with her
ghofts, is fitting around him.
We brought him, with fongs, to Selma's halls. Fingal ordered
the feaft of fliells to be fpread. A thoufand bards raifed the name
of Ofcar : and Morven anfwered to the noife. The daughter of
Tofcar was there, and her voice was like the harp ; when the diftant
found com.es, in the evening, on the foft-ruflling breeze of the vale.
O LAY me, ye that fee the light, near fome rock of my hills:
let the thick hazels be mound, let the ruftling oak be near. Green
be the piace of my reft j and let the found of the diftant torrent
be heard. Daughter of Tofcar, take the harp, and raife the lovely
fong