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. 133
without gnile. And in the evening, witli joy,
music, and cheeifiihiess, came home to our hall.
Early in the morning, rose the chief of the Fin-
2:a!ians, before the sun had gilded the plain; he
observed on the mountain-side a man clothed in
red) with a black dog. The mild hero approach-
ed us ; but at length to our vexation. His face was
incapable of the emotion of terror, and he strongly
solicited a battle of dogs. Fairer than the rays of
the sun was his complexion; his two cheeks of
the colour of the rasp ; his body whiter than any
snow, though his hair happened to be black.
In the first of the conflict, we let forward towards
him the best pack of dogs in our house. By the
black dog, ferocious in strife, fifty of our dogs
were killed.
Then spoke Fingal, of sweetest voice: this af-
fray is not little indeed. His back he turned to
the host, and Bran, with a stern countenance, he
struck. The victorious Bran stared at his mas-
ter, with a sorrowful look ; and was full of asto-
nishment that he struck him. Great pity it is, said
Fingal, that the hand Avith which 1 struck
Bran, had not been severed from the shoulder.
Then did Bran shake his golden chain; and hard
and loud among the people was his squall. His
two eyes were kindled into a flame in his head:
and his bristles stood erect for battle. Without
delay, said Fingal, loose the thongs of my dog;
fuighty was his prowess tit! this day: that we
s