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

190 temora: Book VIT.
" Young branch cf green-headed Lumen, why dost
thou shake in the stoiTn ? Often has Cathmor returned,
from darkly-rolling wars. The darts of deAth are but
hail to me ; they have often bounded from my shield.
I have risen brightened from battle, like a meteor from
a stormy cloud. Return not, fair beam, from thy vale,
when the roar of battle grows. Then might the foe
escape, as from my fathers of eld.
" They told to Son-mor ', of Clunar ^, slain by Cor-
mac the giver of shells. Three days darkened Son-mor,
over his brother's fall. His spouse beheld the silent king,
and foresav/ his steps to war. She prepared the bow,
in secret, to attend her blue-shielded hero. To her
dvv^elt darkness at Atha, when the warrior moved to
his fields. From their hundred streams by night, pour-
ed down the sons of Alnecraa. They had heard the
shield of the king, and their rage arose. In clanging
arms, they moved along,, towards Ullin the land of
groves. Son-mor struck his shield, at times, the leader
of the war.
" Far behind followed Sul-allin ', over the streamy
hills. She was a light on the mountain, when they
crossed the vale below. Her steps were stately on the
vale, when they rose on the mossy hill. She feared to
liDproach the king, who left her in Atha of hinds. But
wlien the roar of battle rose ; when host was rolled on
host ; when Son-mor burnt like the fire of heaven in
clouds, v/ith her spreading hair came Sul-allin ; for she
trembled for her long. Ke stopt the rushing strife, to
save the love of heroes. The foe fled by night ; Clu-
nar slept without his blood ; the blood which ought to
be poured upon the warrior's tomb.
" Nor rose the rage of Son-mor, but his days were
1 Son-mor, ' tall liandsome man.' He was the father of Bcrbar-
tiithiil, chief of Atha, and crandfather to Cathmor himself.
fc^Cluan-er, 'man ef the held.' This chief was killed in batt'e
by Cormac Mac Conar, king of Ireland, the father of Ros crana, the
lirst wife of Fingal. Tlie tiary is alluded to in other poeiua.
i 6uil-s:Ikuii, ' beautiful eye,' the wife efSon-mgr.