Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

CATH-LODA 9
of the shadowy smoke. He poured his voice, at times,
amidst the roaring stream. Near, bending beneath a
blasted tree, two heroes received his words : Swaran of
lakes, and Starno foe of strangers. On their dun shields
they darkly leaned : their spears are forward through
night. Shrill sounds the blast of darkness, in Starno's
floating beard.
They heard the tread of Fingal. The warriors rose
in arms. "Swaran, lay that wanderer low," said
Starno in his pride. "Take the shield of thy father.
It is a rock in war."— Swaran threw his gleaming spear.
It stood fixed in Loda's tree. Then came the foes for-
ward, with swords. They mixed their rattling steel.
Through the thongs of Swaran's shield rushed the blade *
of Luno. The shield fell rolling on earth. Cleft, the
helmet t fell down. Fingal stopped the lifted steel.
Wrathful stood Swaran, unarmed. He rolled his silent
eyes ; he threw his sword on earth. Then slowly
stalking over the stream, he whistled as he went.
Nor unseen of his father is Swaran. Starno turns
away in wrath. His shaggy brows wave dark, above
his gathered rage. He strikes Loda's tree with his
spear. He raises the hum of songs. They came to the
host of Lochlin, each in his own dark path ; like two
foam-covered streams, from two rainy vales I
To Turthor's plain Fingal returned. Fair rose the
beam of the east. It shone on the spoils of Lochlin in
the hand of the king. From her cave came forth in her
beauty, the daughter of Torcul-torno. She gathered her
hair from wind. She wildly raised her song. The
song of Lulan of shells, where once her father dwelt.
She saw Starno's bloody shield. Gladness rose, a light,
* The sword of Fingal, so called from its maker, Luno of
Lochlin.
t The helmet of Swaran. The behaviour of Fingal is always
consistent with that generosity of spirit which belongs to a hero.
He takes no advantage of a foe disarmed.