Ossian Collection > Fingal

6 F I N G A L, Book I.
purfue the dark-brown deer of Cromla : and flop with thine arrows
the bounding roes of Lena. But, blue-eyed fon of Semo, CuchuUin,
ruler of the war, fcatter thou the fons of Lochlin *, and roar thro' the
ranks of their pride. Let no veflel of the kingdom of Snow bound
on the dark-rolling waves of Liis-tore -f.
O YE dark winds of Erin rife! and roar ye whirlwinds of the
heath ! Amidfl the tempefl let me die, torn in a cloud by angry
ghofts of men ; amidft the temped let Calmar die, if ever chace-
was fport to him fo much as the battle of fhields.
Calmar ! flow replied the chief, I never fled, O Matha's fon.
I was fwift with my friends in battle, but fmall is the fame of Con-
nal. The battle was won in my prefence, and the valiant overcame.
But, fon of Semo, hear my voice, regard the ancient throne of
Cormac. Give wealth and half the land for peace, till Fingal come
with battle. Or, if war be thy choice, I lift the fword and fpear.
My joy fliall be in the midfl; of thoufands, and my foul brighten in
the gloom of the flght.
To me, CuchuUin replies, pleafant is the noife of arms: pleafant
as the thunder of heaven before the fliower of Spring. But gather
all the fhining tribes that I may view the fons of war. Let them
move along the heath, bright as the fun-fhine before a ftorm ; when
the wefl: wind collects the clouds and the oaks of Morven eccho
along the fhore.
* The Galic name of Scandinavia in f Innis-tore, the IJland cf uhales, the
general ; in a more confined fenfe that of ancient name of the Orkney iflands.
the penlnfula of Jutland.
But