Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

SUL-MALLA OF LUMON 379
bright, they said, in his locks, the first of mortal men.
Nor at the feast were heard his words. His deeds
passed from his soul of fire, like the rolling of vapours
from the face of the wandering sun. Not careless looked
the blue eyes of Cluba on his stately steps. In white
bosoms rose the king of Selma, in the midst of their
thoughts by night. But the winds bore the stranger to
the echoing vales of his roes. Nor lost to other lands
was he, like a meteor that sinks in a cloud. He came
forth, at times, in his brightness, to the distant dwelling
of foes. His fame came, like the sound of winds, to
Cluba's woody vale.
" Darkness dwells in Cluba of harps, the race of
kings is distant far ; in battle is my father Conmor ; and
Lormar* my brother, king of streams. Nor darkening
alone are they ; a beam from other lands, is nigh ; the
the friend of strangers! in Atha, the troubler of the field.
High from their misty hills, look forth the blue eyes of
Erin ; for he is far away, young dweller of their souls !
Nor, harmless, white hands of Erin ! is Cathmor in the
skirts of war ; he rolls ten thousand before him, in his
distant field."
"Not unseen by Ossian," I said, "rushed Cathmor
from his streams, when he poured his strength on
I-thorno, J isle of many waves ! In strife met two kings
* Lormar was the son of Conmor, and the brother of Sul-
malla. After the death of Conmor, Lormar succeeded him in
the throne. AT.
t Cathmor, the son of Borbar-duthul. It would appear from
the partiality with which Sul-malla speaks of that hero that she
had seen him previous to his joining her father's army ; though
tradition positively asserts that it was after his return that she
fell in love with him.
J I-thorno, says tradition, was an island of Scandinavia. In
it at a hunting party met Culgorm and Suran-dronlo, the kings
of two neighbouring isles. They differed about the honour of
killing a boar ; and a war was kindled between them. From
this episode we may learn that the manners of the Scandinavians