Ossian Collection > Fingal

Book III. A n E P I C P O E M. 45
like the gale that moves the grafs to thofe who aflc thine aid
So Trenmor lived ; fuch Trathal was ; and fuch has Fingal been.
My arm was the fupport of the injured ; and the weak refted behind
the lightning of my fteel.
Oscar ! I was young like thee, when lovely Fainafollis came :
that fun-beam ! that mild light of love ! the daughter of Craca's *
king ! I then returned from Cona's heath, and few were in my
train. A white-failed boat appeared far off; we faw it like a mift
that rode on ocean's blaft. It foon approached ; we faw the fair.
Her white breail heaved with fighs. The wind was in her loofe
dark hair : her rofy cheek had tears.
Daughter of beauty, calm I faid, whatfigh is in that breaft ?
Can I, young as I am, defend thee, daughter of the fea ? My fword
is not unmatched in war, but dauntlefs is my heart.
To thee I fly, with fighs flie replied, O prince of mighty men !
To thee I fly, chief of the generous fhells, fupporter of the feeble
hand ! The king of Craca's ecchoing ifle owned me the fun-beam
of his race. And often did the hills of Cromala reply to the fighs of
love for the unhappy Fainafollis. Sora's chief beheld me fair ; and
loved the daughter of Craca. His fword is like a beam of light
upon the warrior's fide. But dark is his brow ; and tempefts are in
his foul. I fhun him on the rolling fea ; but Sora's chief purfues.
Rcfl: thou, I faid, behind my fliield ; reft in peace, thou beam of
light ! The gloomy chief of Sora will fly, if Fingal's arm is like his
* What the Craca here mentioned was, that it was one of the Shetland ifles. —
is not, at this diftance of time, eafy to de- There is a ftory concerning a daughter of
termine. The moft probable opinion is, the icing of Craca in the fixth book,
foul.