Ossian Collection > Fingal

A P O E M. 167
Cromla's falling ftream. He had leen the dark lliip on the fca, be-
fore the duflcy night came down. His people watch on Lena's*
plain, and lift ten thoufand fwords.
And let them lift ten thoufand fwords, faid Nathos with a fmile.
The fons of car-borne Ufnoth will never tremble in danger. Why
doft thou roll with all thy foam, thou roaring fea of Ullin ? Why
do ye ruftle, on your dark wings, ye whirling tempefls of the fky ? —
Do ye think, ye ftorms, that ye keep Nathos on the coafl ? No :
his foul detains him, children of the night ! Althos ! bring my
father's arms : thou feeft them beaming to the flars. Bring the fpcar
of Semo -j-, it ftands in the dark-bofomed fhip.
He brought the arms. Nathos clothed his limbs in all their
fhining fteel. The ftride of the chief is lovely : the joy of his eyes
terrible. He looks towards the coming of Cairbar. The wind is
ruftling in his hair. Dar-thula is lilent at his fide : her look is
fixed on the chief. She flrives to hide the riling figh, and two tears
fwell in her eyes.
Althos ! faid the chief of Etha, I fee a cave in that rock. Place
Dar-thula there : and let thy arm be flrong. Ardan ! we meet the
foe, and call to battle gloomy Cairbar. O that he came in his
founding fleel, to meet the fon of Ufnoth ! Darthula ! if thoa
flialt efcape, look not on the fallen Nathos. Eift thy. fails, O Al-
thos, towards the ecchoing groves of Etha.
* The fcene of the prefent poem is nearly here was given to UGioth on his marriage,
the fame with that of the epic poem in this it being the cuftom then for the father of
col!e(Slion. The heath of Lena and Tura the lady to give his arms to his fon in law.
are often mentioned. The ceremony ufed upon thefe occafions
t Semo was grandfather to Nathos by is mentioned in other poems,
the mother's fide. The fpear mentioned
Tel I.