Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

Book iV. AN EPIC POEM. 189
the chief of irighly men. He shall lead my battle ;
that his fame may lisc in the song. O yi; ghoits of
heroes dead I ye riders of the storm of Cronila : receive
my falling people with joy, and bring them to your
h)ils. And may the blast ot Lena carry them over my
seas, that they may come to ray silent dreams, ana de-
light my soul in rest.
*"" Filian and Oscar of thedark-brown hair, tair Ryno,
with the pointed steel I advance with valour to the light ;
and behold the son ot Morni. Let your sworns be
like his in the strife ; and behold the deeds of his hands.
Protect the friends of your father ; and rv-^member the
chiefs of old. My children, I shall see you yet rhou^h
here ye should fall in Erin. Soon shall our cohi, pale
ghosts meet in a cloud, and fly over the hiils of Cona."
Now like a dark and stormy cloud, eagtd round
with the red lightning of heaven, and flying westward
from the morning's beam, the king of hills removed.
Terrible is the light of his armour, and two spears are
in his hand. His grey hair fails on the wind. He of-
ten looks back on the war. Three bards attend the
son of fame, to carry his words to the heroes. High
on Cromla's side he sat, v^^aving the lightning of his
sword, and as he waved we mo\ed.
Joy rose in Oscar's face. His cheek is red. His eye
shccis tears. The sword is a beam of lire in his hand.
He came, and smiling, spoke to Ossian. " O ruier of
the fight of steel 1 my father, hear thy son. Retire
with Morven's mighty chief; and give me Cssian's
fame. And if here I fall, my king, remember that
breast of snow, that lonely sun-beam of my love, the
white handed daughter of Toscar. For, with red
cheek from the rock, and bending over the stream, her
sOit hair flies about her bosom, as she pours the sigh
for Oscar. Tell her 1 am on my hills a lightly bound-
ing son of the wind ; that hereafter in a cioud, I maj
meet the lovely maid of Toscar."
" Raise, Oscar, rather raise my tomb. I will not
yield the fight to thee. For first and bloodiest in the
v.-2i my aria shall teach thee how to fight. But, re-