Ossian Collection > Fingal

( 127 )
C A R T H O N*:
A POEM,
A TALE of the times of old! The deeds of days of other
years ! — The murmur of thy ftreams, O Lora, brings back
the memory of the paft. The found of thy woods, Garmallar, is
lovely in mine ear. Dofl: thou not behold, Malvina, a rock with
its head of heath ? Tliree aged firs bend from its face ; green is the
narrow plain at its feet ; there the flower of the mountain grows,
and
* This poem is compleat, and the fub-
jcfl of it, as of moft of Offian's compofi-
tions, tragical. In the time of Comhal
the Ton of Trathal, and father of the cele-
brated Fingil, Clefsammor the fon of
Thaddu and brother of Morna, Fingal's
mother, was driven by a dorm into the
river Clyde, on the banks of which flood
Balclutha, a town belonging to the Bri-
tons between the walls. He was hofpitably
received by Reuchamir, the principal man
in the place, who gave him Moina his only
daughter in marriage. Reuda, the fon of
Cormo, a Briton who was in love with
Moina, came to Reuthamir's houfe, and
liehaved haughtily towards Clefsammor. A
quarrel infued, in which Reuda was kilkd j
the Britons, who attended him prefTed fo
hard on Clefsammor, that he was obliged
to throw himfelf into the Clyde, and fwim
to his (hip. He hoifted fail, and the wind
being favourable, bore him out to fea. He
often endeavoured to return, and carry off
his beloved Moina by night ; but the wind
continuing contrary, he was forced to
defift.
Moina, who had been left: with child by
her hufband, brought forth a fon, and died
foon after. Reutbdmir named the child
Carthon, /. e. t'u murmur ofiuaiHS, from
the ftorm which carried offClefsammor his
father, who was fuppofed to have been caft
away. When Carthon was three years
old, Comhal the father of Fingal, in one
of