Ossian Collection > Fingal

78 F I N G A L, Book VL
King of the race of Morven, faid the chief of the waves of
Lochlin J never will Swaran fight with thee, firft of a thoufand
heroes ! I have feen thee in the halls of Starno, and few were thy
ycirs beyond my own. When fhall I, I faid to my foul, lift the
Ipear like the noble Fingal ? We have fought heretofore, O warrior,
on the fide of the ihaggy Malmor ; after my waves had carried me
to thy halls, and the feaft of a thoufand fhells was fpread. Let the
bards fend him who overcame to future years, for noble was the
ftrife of heathy Malmor.
But many of the fliips of Lochlin have lofi: their youths on Lena.
Take thefe, thou king of Morven, and be the friend of Swaran.
And when thy fons Ihall come to the moflv towers of Gormal ; the
feaft of fliells fliall be fpread, and the combat offered on the vale.
Nor fliip, replied the king, fliall Fingal take, nor land of many
hills. The defart is enough to me with all its deer and woods. Rife
on thy waves again, thou noble friend of Agandecca. Spread thy
white fails to the beam of the morning, and return to the ecchoing
hills of Gormal.
Blest be thy foul, thou king of fhells, faid Swaran of the dark-
brown fhicld. In peace thou art the gale of fpring. In v/ar the
mountain-ftorm. Take now my hand in friendfhip, thou noble
king of Mon'en.
Let thy bards mourn thofe who fell. Let Erin give the fons of
Lochlin to earth ; and raife the moHy flones of their fame. That
the children of the north hereafter may behold the place where their
fathers fought. And fome hunter may lay, when he leans on a
2 moffv