J. F. Campbell Collection > Original collection of the poems of Ossian, Orrann, Ulin, and other bards, who flourished in the same age

A HEROIC POEM. 12J
mountain, and winging their flight in the fray.
Many were the heroes, and bold; courageous,
heavy champions. But, on either side, there was
none equal to nly son Oscar. Seven troops, of nu-
merous hosts, fell by victorious Oscar; the nine
sons of red-haired Manus ; seven score and a thou-
sand champions. As many fell by Caoilte and
Gaul; but the son of Comal and his valiant heroes
were like torrents of fire, wasting in their rage,
and rapidly ascending in columns of sparkles:
such were the heavy strokes of every hero in the
conflict struck by the Fingalians, who exulted
with joy at hearing the shrieks of the vanquished
foe, flying like the serpent that runs from the fire.
Thus was the victory the king obtained, and in
this most dangerous deed was Ossian; though I
am this day aged and grey, many were the heroes
who fell by my hand in the field.
But though that we completely overcame the
foe, our loss on that day we never recovered.
More than half the Fingalians were lost in the
cause of Raino and Ailde.