Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal > Volume 2

Book I. AS' EPIC POEr.t. in
he give it to the feeble, O Cairbar, neither to the weak
io souh The darkness of thy face is no storm to me ;
nor are thine eyes the riames of death. Do I fear thy
clanging shield ? Tremble I at Olla's song? No: Cair-
bar, frighten the feeble, Oscar is a rock."
" And wilt thou not yield the spear?" replied the
rising pride of Cairbar. " Are thy words so mighty
because Fingal is near ? Fingal with aged locks from
Morven's hundred groves ! He has fought with little
men. But he must vanish before Cairbar, like a thin
pillar of mist before the winds of Atha ! q" " Were
he who fought with little men near Atha's darkening
chief; Atha's darkening chief would yield green Erin
to avoid his rage. Speak not of the mightv, O Cair-
bar! but turn thy sv^ord on me. Our strength is equal;
but Fingal is renowned ! the first of m.ortal men."
Theirpeople saw the darkening chiefs. Theircrov/d-
ing steps are heard around. Their eyes roll in lire.
A thousand swords are half-unsheathed. Red-haired
OUa raised the song of battle : the trembling joy of
Oscar's soul arose : the wonted joy of his soul when
Fingal's horn was heard. Dark as the swelling wave
of ocean before the rising winds, when it bends its head
near a coast, came on the host of Cairbar.
Daughter of Toscar ri why that tear? Ke is not fal-
len yet. Many were the deaths of his arm before my
hero fell !
Behold they fall before my son like the groves in the
desert, when an acgry ghost rushes through night, and
takes their green heads in his hand ! Morlath falls r
Maronnan dies : Conachar trembles in his blood. Cair-
bar shrinks before Oscar's sword ; and creeps in dark-
ness behind his stone. He lifted the spear in secret, and
pierced my Oscar's side. He falls forv/ard on his shielcU
his knee sustains the chief. But still his spear is in his
q Atha, 'shallow river :' the n^.me of Cairbar'* seat in Conn.ingh*.
r Malvina, the daughter of Toscar, to whom lie addresses th«
^*rt of the poem which relates to tJie deaih of Oscar her lotsr.