Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

F IN G A L.
" Peace," said Cuchullin, to the souls of the heroes; their deeds
were great in danger. Let them ride around^ me on clouds; and
shew their features of war; that my soul may be strong in danger;
my arm like the thunder of heaven. — But be thou on a moon-
beam, O Morna, near the window of my rest; when my thoughts
•are of peace; and the din of arms is over. — Gather the strength
of the tribes, and move to the wars of Erin. — Attend the car of
my battles; rejoice in the noise of my course. Place three spears
by my side; follow the bounding of my steeds; that my soul may
be strong in my friends, when the battle darkens round the beams
of my steel."
As rushes 'a stream* of foam from the dark shady steep of Crom-
la ; when the thunder is rolling above, and dark-brown night rests
on half the hill. So fierce, so vast, so terrible rushed on the sons
ef Erin. The chief like a whale of ocean, whom all his billows
follow, poured valour forth as a stream, rolling his might along
the shore.
The sons of Lochlin heard tlie noise as the sound of a winter-
strearii. Swaran struck his bossy shield, and called the son of
Amo. *' What murmur rolls along the hill like the gathered flies
of evening.? The sons of Innis-fail descend, or rustling winds roar
in the distant wood. Such is the noise of Gormal before the white
tops of my waves arise. O son of Amo, ascend the hill and view
the dark face of the heath."
He went, and trembling, swift returned. His eyes rolled wild-
ly round. His heart beat high against his side. His words were
faultering, broken, slow\
«* Rise, son of ocean, rise chief of the dark-brown shields. I
see the dark, the mountain-stream of the battle: the deep-moving
strength of the sons of Erin. — The car, the car of battle comes,
like the flame of death ; the rapid car of Cuchullin, the noble son
of
i It was the opinion then, as indeed it is to this day, of some of the Highland-
ers, that the souls of the deceased hovered round their hving friends; and some-
times appeared to them when the)- were about to enter on any great undertaking.
* As torrents roll encreas'd by numerous rills
V\ ith rage impetuous down the echoing hills;
Ruih to the vales, and pour'd along the plain,
Roar chro" a thousand channels to the main. Pof'i,