Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

CARRIC-THURA. 155
« Daughter of Herman," said Frothal, " didst thou come from
Tora's streams ; didst thou come, in thy beauty, to behold thy
warrior low ? But he was low before the mighty, maid of tlie
slow-rolling eye ! The feeble did not overcome the son of car-borne
Annir. Terrible art tliou, O king of Morven ! in battles of the
spear. But, in peace, thou art like the sun, when he looks through
a silent shower : the flowers lift their fair heads before him ; and
the gales shake their rustling wings. O that thou wert in Sora !
that my feast were spread ! The future kings of Sora would see
thy arms and rejoice. They would rejoice at the fame of their
fatliers, who beheld the mighty Fingal."
" Son of Annir," replied the king, *' the fame of Sora's rate
shall be heard. When chiefs are strong in battle, then does the
song arise ! But if their swords are stretched over the feeble : if
the blood of the weak has stained their arms •, the bard shall for-
get tlaem in the song, and tlieir tombs shall not be known. The
stranger shall come and build there, and remove the heaped-up
earth. An half-worn sword shall rise before him ; and bending
above it, he will say, " These are the arms of chiefs of old, but
their names are not in song. Come thou, O Frotlial, to the feast
of Inistorc; let the maid of thy love be there : and our faces wii5
brighten with joy."
Fingal took his spear, moving in tlie steps of his might. The
gates of Carric-thura are opened. The feast of shells is spread.
The voice of music arose. Gladness brightened in the hall. The
voice of Ullin was heard •, the harp of Selma was strung. Utha
rejoiced in his presence, and demanded the song of grief; the
big tear hung in her eye, when the soft* Crimora spoke. Cri-
mora the daughter of Rinval, who dwelt at Lotha's-j- mighty
stream. The tale was long, but lovely ; and pleased the blushing
maid of Tora.
Cr'unora.
• There is a proprtety in introducing this episode, as the ritu'^ticn of CiI.Tora
and Utha were so similar.
f Lotha was the ancient name of one of the great rivers in the north of Scotland.
The only one of them that still retains a name of a like sound is Lochy, in Inverness-
<;hire; but whctht-r it is the river mentioned here, the translator will not pretend
to sav.