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

152 temora: Book IV.
Sul-malla i of blue eyes, the white bosomed daughter of
Con-mor, king of Inis-huna. To liis aid came biue-
shielded Cathmor, and rolled his foes away. Sul-malla
beheld him stately in tlie hall of feaFt? ; nor careless
rolled the eyes of Cathmor on the long-hairod maid.
The diird day arose, and Fithii m came from Erin of
the streams. He told of the lifting up of the shield a.
respnndence with their mother country ; and sent aid to the British
Belg32, when they were pressed by the Romans or other new comers
from the continent. Con tuor king of Inis-hima, (that part of South
Britain which is over against the Irish coast) being attacked^ by what
enemy is not mcntioued, sent for aid to Cairbar, lord of Atha, the
mij.-t potent chief of the Firbolg. Cairbar dispatched his brother
Cathmor to tlie assistance of Con-mor. Cathmor, after various vi-
cissitudes of fortune, put an end to tlie war,by the total defeat of the
enemies of Iniis huna, and returned in triumph to the residence of
Con-mor. Tl.eSre, at a feast, Sul-malla, the daughter of Con-mar,
fell desperately ia love with Cathmor, who, before her pasiioo was
disclosed, was recalled to Ireland, by his brother Cair!)ar, upon the
news of the intended expedition of Fingal, to re-establish the family
of Conar on the Irish throne. The wind being contrary, Cathmor
remained, for tliree days, in a neighbouring bay, during which time
tul malla disguised licrselfin the habit of a young warrior, and came
to ort'er him her service in the war. Cathmor accepted of the pro-
posal, sailed to IreUnd, and arrived in Ulster a few days before the
death of Cairbar.
1 Sul-malla, * slowly rolling eyes.' Ca<jn-mor, • mild and tall.
Iris-huna, • green island.'
m Fithii, 'an inferior bard.' It may either be taken here for
Utic yiroper name of a man, or in the literal sense, as the bards were
the heralds and messengers of thoe^e times. Cathmor, it is probable,
was absent, when the rebcHion of liis brother Cairbar, and tlie assas-
sination of Cormac king of Ireland happened. T!ie traditions, which
are handed down with the poem, say that Cathmor and hiifoUoivera
had only arrived from Inishuna, three days before the death of Cair-
bar, which sufficiently clears his character from any imputation of
being concerned in the conspiracy with his brother.
n The ceremony which was used by Fingal, when he prepared
for an expedition, is related by Ossian, in o«e of his lesser poems. A
bard, at miUrught, went to the hall, when the tribes feasted upon so-
lemn occasions, raised the war song, and thrice called the spirits itf
their deceased ancestors, to come, on their clouds, and behold the
actions of tlieir children. He then fixed the shield of Trenmor, on
a tree 0:1 the rock of Selma, striking it, at times, with the blujat end