Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

485 THE POEMS OF OSSIAN,
then I saw him in his beauty, and the tear hung in
my eye ! "Thou art fallen, young tree," I said,
" with all thy beauty round thee. Thou art fallen
on thy plains, and the field is bare. The winds come
from the desert! there is no sound in thy leaves !
Lovely art thou in deatli, son of car-borne Larth-
mor."
Nina-thoma sat on the shore. She heard th<
sound of battle. She turned her red eyes on Leth-
mal, the grey-haired bard of Selma. He alone had
remained on the coast, with the daughter of Tor-tho-
ma. "Son of the times of old!" she said, " I hear
the noise of death. Thy friends have met with
Uthal, and the chief is low ! O that I had remained
on the rock, inclosed with the tumbling waves .' Then
would my soul be sad, but his death would not reach
my ear. Art thou fallen on thy heath, O son of high
Finthormo ? Thou didst leave me on a rock, butmy
soul was full of thee. Son of high Finthormo? art
thou fallen on thy heath?"
She rose pale in her tears. She saw the bloody
shield of Uthal. She saw it in Ossian's hand. Her
steps were distracted on the heath. She flew. She
found him. She fell. Her soul came forth in a sigh.
Her hair is spread on her face. My bursting tears
descend. A tomb arose on the unhappj. My song
of woe was heard. " Rest, hapless children of youth !
Rest at the noise of that mossy stream ! Tlie virgins
will see your tomb, at the chase, and turn av>'ay their
weeping eyes. Your fame will be in song. The voice
of the harp v.ill be heard in your praise. The daugh-
ters of Selma shall hear it : your renown shall be in
other lands. Rest, children of youth, at the noise
of the mossy stream!"
Two days we remained on the coast. The heroes of
Berrathon convened. We brought Larthmor to his
halls. The feast of shells is spread. The joy of the
aged was great. He looked to the arms of his fathers :
the arms which he left in his hall, when the pride of
Uthal rose. We were renowned before Larthmor. He
blessed the chiefs of Morven. He knew not that his
son was low, the stately strength of Uthal ! They had