Ossian Collection > Fingal

34 FINGAL.
Selma removed. Terrible is the light of his armour;
two spears are in his hand. His grey hair falls on
the wind. He often looks back on the war. Three
bards attend the son of fame , to bear his words
to the chiefs. High on Cromla's side he sat, waving
the lightning of his sword , and as he waved we
moved.
Joy rises in Oscar's face. His cheek is red.
His eye sheds teais. The sword is a beam of fire
in his hand. He came, and smiling, spoke to
Ossian. " ruler of the fight of steel! my father,
hear thy son ! Retire with Morven's mighty chief.
Give me the fame of Ossian. If here I fall,
chief, remember that breast of snow, the lonely
sun-beam of my love, the white-handed davighter
of Toscar! For, with red cheek from the rock,
bending over the stream , her soft hair flies about
her bosom, as she pours the sigh for Oscar. Tell
her I am on my hills, a lightly- bounding son of
the wind ; tell her, that in a cloud , I may meet
the lovely maid of Toscar. „ Raise, Oscar, rather
raise my tomb. I will not yield the war to thee.
The first and bloodiest in the strife , my arm shall
teach thee how to fight. But remember, my son,
to place this sword, this bow, the horn of my
deer, within that dark and narrow house, whose
mark is one grey stone! Oscar, I have no love
to leave to the care of my son. Everallin is no
more , the lovely daughter of Branno !
Such were our words, when Gaul's loud voice
came growing on the wind. He waved on high
the sword of his father. We rushed to death and
wounds. As waves white -bubbling over the deep,
come swelling, roaring on; as rocks of ooze meet
roaring waves; so foes attacked and fought. Man
met with man , and steel with steel. Shields sound,
and warriors fall. As a hundred hammers on the
red son of the furnace, so rose, so rung their
swords !
Gaul rushed on, like a whirlwind in Ardven.
The destruction of heroes is on his sword. Swaran
was like the fire of the desert in tlie echoing
heath of Gormal! How can I give to the song
the death of many spears ? My sword rose high,