Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 2

FINGAL.
]19
He must have the Wliite-liaud of the waves,
Or else fall cold in battle.
For three days the warriors fought ;
305 On the fourth went Grumal under thong.
He was placed without a friend beside him
In Brumo's circle of beetling cliffs."
There were the spirits of the dead,
With their harsh voices round the spectre-stone.
310 Yet afterwards the chief shone bright,
Like the fire of the sky renewed : '
Foemen fell by his mightful arm ;
Grumal regained himself and his renown.
He was re-
leased, how-
ever, from
this dungeon
of horrors,
and soon
afterwai'ds
' shone
bright," re-
gaining all
his former
" Eaise, ye bards of the times that are gone,''
315 Said the great strength of the king of Morven-
" Raise the praise of warriors dead ;
Eaise high Swaran from his grief."
The warriors lay upon the heather ;
The dusky Avind was through their hair ;
320 Rose a hundred tuneful voices on the hill,
A hundred tuneful harass together ;
The song was of time which had gone,
Of heroes great, not slack in combat.
(But) when shall the bard be heard by me 1
"Eaise, ye bards of other times," continued the great Fingal,
"raise high the praise of lieroes, that my soul may settle on their
fame, that tlie mind of Swaran may cease to be sad." They lay in
the heatli of Mora. The dark winds rustled over the chiefs. A
hundred voices at once arose ; a hundred harps were strung. They
sang of other times ; the ndghty chiefs of former years ! When
now shall I hear the bard Ì when rejoice at the fame of my