Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal > Volume 1

BooL y. AK EPIC POE^T. ^r
the king of generous fhells ; " four flones v.-ith their
heads of mofs flandthere \ and mark the narrow houie of
death. Near it let my Ryno relt, and be the rfig-hbour
of the valiant. Perhaps Ibme chief of fame is here to
fly with my fon on clouds. O UUin, raife the fongs of
other times. Bring to memory the dark dwellers of
the tomb. If in the field of the valiant they never fled
fi-om danger, my fon fhall reft; with them, far from his
friends, on the heath of Lena."
" Here,' faid the mouth of the fong, "here reft the
firft of heroes. Silent is Lamderg + in this tom.b, and
UUin king of fwords. And who, foft fmiling from her
cloud, fhews me her face of love : Why, daughter, why
fo pale art thou, firft of the maids of Cromla ? Doft thoii
fleep with the foes in battle, GelchofTa, white-bofomed
daughter of Tuathal ? Thou haft been the love of thou-
fands, but Lamderg was thy love. He came to Sel-
ma's mofly towers, and, ftriking his dark buckler,
fpoke."—
" Where is GelchofTa, my love, the daughter of the
noble Tuathal ? I left her in the hall of Sclma, vrhen F
fought with the gloomy Ulf'adda. Return focn, O
Lamderg, ilie faid, for here I am in the midil of forrow.
Her white breaft rofe v\'ith fighs. Her cheek was wet
with tears. But I fee her not coming to meet me ; and
to footh my foul after battle. Silent is the hall of m.y
joy ; I hear not the voice of the bard. Bran || does not
ihake his chains at the gate, glad at the coming of Lam-
derg^ Where is Gelchofla, my love, the m.ild daugh-
ter or the genercus Tuathal ?"
" Lamderg !" fays Ferchios the fon of Aider., *- Gel-
rholTa may be on Cromla ; flie and the maids of the'
bo-.v purfuing the flying deer !"
*• Ferchios !" replied the chief of Cromila, *' no noife
•t I.anh-diiearg H^iSes bloody hand. Gelchofla, •white lecitfl-' Tuatha',
♦fjrlv.' Ulfadda, ' long-beard.' Ferchios, • the cor.querDT i>f intii'
i ll Bran is a common nume of grey-hounds to ihi> day. It is a ciiiloin in the
nbriri of acottend, to give the cam'es of the heroes mcnlioncd in itiir, poem to
tUiir dogs; a,j!r*jot" thst chey are latuiliar to vlie car, axiA their fsmc gencraliy
Anown,