Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

32 CATH LODA.
Burning rofe the rage of the king. He
thrice raifed his gleaming fpear. But, dart-
ing, he fpared his fon ; and rufhed into the
night. By Turthor's ftream a cave is dark,
the dwelling of Conban-carglas. There he
laid the helmet of kings, and called the maid
of Lulan ; but Ihe was diftant far, in Loda's
refounding hall.
Swelling in his rage, he ftrode, to where
Fingal lay alone. The king was laid on his
fhield, on his own fecret hill.
Stern hunter of maggy boars ! no feeble
maid is laid before thee. No boy, on his
ferny bed, by Turthor's murmuring ftream.
Here is fpread the couch of the mighty, from
which they rife to deeds of death ! Hunter of
fhaggy boars, awaken not the terrible !
Starno came murmuring on. Fingal arofe
in arms. " Who art thou, fon of night ?"
Silent he threw the fpear. They mixed their
gloomy ftrife. The fhield of Starno fell, cleft
in twain. He is bound to an oak. The
early beam arofe. It was then Fingal beheld
the king. He rolled awhile his filent eyes.
He thought of other days, when white-bo-
fomed Agandecca moved like the mufic of
fongs. He loofed the thong from his hands.
Son of Annir, he faid, retire. Retire to Gormal
of fhells ; a beam that was fet returns. I re-
member thy white-bofomed daughter ; dread-
ful king, away ! Go to thy troubled dwelling,
cloudy foe of the lovely ! Let the ftranger
fhun thee, thou gloomy in the hall !
A tale of the times of old !