Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

90 T H E W A R O F C A R O S ;
" Where," faid the youth, " fliall I fearch for fame t6'
gladden the foul of Lamor? From whence fhall I return
with renown, that the found of my arms may be pleafant
in his ear ? If I go to the chafe of hinds, my name will
not be lieard. Lamor will not feel my dogs, with his
hands, glad at my arrival from the hill. He will not inquire
of his mountains, or of the dark-brown deer of his defarts.
" I mull fall," laid Lamor, " like a leaflefs oak : it
grew on a rock, but the winds have overturned it. My
ghoft will be feen on my hills, mournful for my young
Hidallan. Will not ye, ye mifts, as ye rife, hide iiini
from my fight ? My fon I go to Lamor's hall : there the
arms of our fathers hang. Bring the fword of Garmallon ;
he took it from a foe."
He w^nt and brought the fword with all its lludded
thongs. He gave it to his father. The gray-haired hero
felt the point with his hand.
" My fon I lead me to Garmallon's tomb : it rifes be-
fide that ruftling tree. The long grafs is withered ; I
heard the breeze whiftling there. A little fountain mur-
murs near, and fends its water to Balva. There let me
reft ; it is noon : and the fun is on our fields."
He led him to Garmallon's tomb. Lamor peirced the
fide of his fon. Ihey fleep together ; 'and their ancient
halls moulder on Balva's banks. Ghofts are feen there
at noon : the valley is filent, and the people iliun the
place of Lamor.
" Mournful is thy tale," faid Ofcar, " fon *of the times
of old I My foul fighs for Hidallan ; he fell in the days
of his youth. He flies on the blaft of the defart, and his
wandering is in a foreign land. Sons of the echoing Mor-
ven I draw near to the foes of Fingal. Send the night
away in fongs ; and watch the ftrength of Caros. Ofcar
goes to the people of other times ; to the fhades of filent
Ardven ; where his fathers fit dim in their clouds, and
behold the future war. And art thou there, Hidallan,
like a half-extinguifhed meteor ? Come to my fight, in
thy forrow, chief of the roaring Balva I"
The heroes move w'ith their fongs. Ofcar fiowly af-
cends the hill. The meteors of night are fetting on the
heath before him. A diftant torrent faintly roars. Un-
frequent blafts rufii through aged oaks. The half en-
fightcned