Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

212 T E M R A. BOOK I.
divided his red hair behind. He lay, like a shattered rock, which
Cromla shakes from its shaggy side. But never more shall Oscar
rise ! he leans on his bossy shield. His spear is in his ten-ible hand :
Erin's sons stood distant and dark. Their shouts arose, like
crowded streams ; Moi-lena echoed wide.
Fingal heard the sound ; and took his father*s spear. His steps
are before us on the heath. He spoke the words of wo. ** I
hear the noise of war. Young Oscar is alone. Rise, sons of
Morvcn ; join the hero's sword."
Ossian rushed along the heath. Fillan bounded over Moi-lena.
Finga! strode in his strength, and the light of his shield is terrible.
The sons of Erin saw it far distant ; they trembled in their souls.
They knew that the wrath of the king arose : and they foresaw
their death. We first arrived -, we fought j and Erin's chiefs
withstood our rage. But when the king came, in the sound of
his course, what heart of steel could stand ! Erin fled over Moi-
lena. Death pursued their flight. We saw Oscar on his shield.
We saw his blood around. Silence darkened every face. Each
turned his back and wept. The king strove to hide his tears. His
beard whistled in the wind. He bent his head above his
son. His words were mixed with sighs.
" And art thou fallen, Oscar in the midst of thy course ? the
heart of the aged beats over thee ! He sees thy coming wars. The
wars which ought to come he sees, but they are cut off from thy
fame. When shall joy dwell at Selma ? When shall grief depart
from
Briathar. Buan sin ; Briathar Man
A bheireadh an Cairbre rua*,
Gu tuga' se sealg, agus creach
A H'Albin an la'r na mhaireach.
Oscar replied, that, the next day, he himself would carry into Albion the spoils of
the five provinces of Ireland; in spite of the opposition of Cairbar.
Briathar eile an aghai' sin
A bhcirea' an t'Oscar, og, calma
Gu'n tugadh se sealg agus creach
Do dh'ALBTX an la'r na mhaireach, &c.
Oscar, in consequence of his threats, begun to lay waste Ireland; but as he returned
■with the spoil into Ulster. Through the narrow pass of Gabhra { Caoll-ghlen-Gha-
hhra) he was met, by Cairbar, and a battle ensued, in which both the heroes fell
by mutual wonnds. The turd gives a very curious list ff the followers of Oscar,
as they marched to battle. Thty appear to have been five hundred in number,
commanded,, as the pott expresses it, byyiir heroes of the blood of lings. This poem
mjntions Fingal, as arriving from Scotland, before Oscei died of his wounds.