Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

364 THE POEMS OF OSSIAN.
But Gaul took my hand, and spoke the words of iha
brave. " Shall the son of Fingal rush on the sleeping
foe ? Shall he come like a blast by night, when it
overturns the young trees in secret ? Fingal did not
receive his fame, nor dwells renown on the gray haira
of Morni, for actions like these. Strike, Ossian, strike
the shield, and let their thousands rise ! Let them meet
Gaul in his first batlle, that he may try the strength
of his arm."
My soul rejoiced over the warrior ; my bursting
tears came down. " And the foe shall meet thee,
Gaul," I said : " the fame of Morni's son shall arise.
But rush not too far, my hero : let the gleam of thy
steel be near to Ossian. Let our hands join in slaugh-
ter. Gaul ! dost thou not behold that rock ? Its gray
side dimly gleams to the stars. Should the foe prevail,
let our back be towards the rock. Then shall they fear
to approach our speai-s ; for death is in our hands !"
I struck thrice my echoing shield. The startling
foe arose. We rushed on in the sound of our arms.
Their crowded steps fly over the heath. They thought
that the mighty Fingal was come. The strength of
their arms withered away. The sound of their flight
was like that of flame, when it rushes through the
blasted groves. It was then the spear of Gaul flew in
its strength ; it was then his sword arose. Cremor
fell ; and mighty Leth ! Dunthormo struggled in his
blood. The steel rushed through Crotho's side, as bent
he rose on his spear ; the black stream poured from
the wound, and hissed on the half-extinguished oak.
Calhmin. saw the steps of the hero behind him: he
ascended a blasted tree ; but the spear pierced him
from behind. Shrieking, panting, he fell. Moss and
withered branches pursue his fall, and strew the blue
arms of Gaul.
Such were thy deeds, son of Morni, in the first of