Ossian Collection > Gaelic bards

140 MODERN GAELIC BARDS.
catches as successfully the right tone in which to deal
with its kindred sorrow. Tf it falls short, in some other
respects, of the rare masteri^iece it resembles, that need
not surprise us, for "Bonnie George Campbell" carries
as much of a sad tale and a wild lamenting, in a very
small compass, as probably any song in the English
language.
There's a sound on the hill,
Not of joy but of ailing ;
Dark-hair'd women mourn —
Beat their hands, with loud wailing.
They cry out, Ochon !
For the young Monaltri,
Who went to the hill ;
But home came not he.
Without snood, without plaid
Katrina's gone roaming.
O Katrina, my dear 1
Homeward be comino-.
Och ! hear, on the castle
Yon pretty bird singing,
" Snoodless and plaidless.
Her hands she is ringing !
-h-i-