Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

FINGAL loi
Morven, they float along the sea. "Call," said Fingal,
"call my dogs, the long-bounding sons of the chase.
Call white-breasted Bran, and the surly strength of
Luath ! Fillan, and Ryno ; but he is not here ! My son
rests on the bed of death. Fillan and Fergus ! blow the
horn, that the joy of the chase may arise : that the deer
of Cromla may hear and start at the lake of roes." *
The shrill sound spreads along the wood. The sons
of heathy Cromla arise. A thousand dogs fly off at
once, grey-bounding through the heath. A deer fell by
every dog ; three by the white-breasted Bran. He
brought them, in their flight, to Fingal, that the joy of
the king might be great ! One deer fell at the tomb of
Ryno. The grief of Fingal returned. He saw how
peaceful lay the stone of him, who was the first at the
chase ! "No more shalt thou rise, O my son ! to
partake of the feast of Cromla. Soon will thy tomb be
hid, and the grass grow rank on thy grave. The sons
of the feeble shall pass along. They shall not know
where the mighty lies.
" Ossian and Fillan, sons of my strength ! Gaul,
chief of the blue steel of war ! let us ascend the hill to
the cave of Cromla. Let us find the chief of the battles
of Erin. Are these the walls of Muri ? grey and lonely
they rise on the heath. The chief of shells is sad, and the
halls are silent and lonely. Come, let us find Cuthullin,
and give him all our joy. But is that Cuthullin, O
Fillan, or a pillar of smoke on the heath ? The vnnd of
Cromla is on my eyes. I distinguish not my friend."
"Fingal!" replied the youth, "it is the son of Semo !
Gloomy and sad is the hero ! his hand is on his
sword. Hail to the son of battle, breaker of the
shields!" "Hail to thee," replied Cuthullin, "hail to
all the sons of Morven ! Delightful is thy presence, O
The /aie of Roes is evidently Lochneagh, whose north-east
end is boimded by a part of the ridge of Lena.