heard his hair in wind. Turned* from one another, they stood, like two oaks, which different winds had bent; each hangs over its own loud rill, and shakes its boughs in the course of blasts. "Annir," said Starno of lakes, was a fire "that consumed of old. He poured death from "his eyes along the striving fields. His joy was "in the fall of men. Blood to him was a sum mer stream, that brings joy to withered vales "from its own mossy rock. He came forth to "the lake Luth-cormo to meet the tall Corman"trunar, he from Urlor of streams, dweller of "battle's wing." The chief of Urlor had come to Gormal with his dark-bosomed ships. He saw the daughter of Annir, white-armed Foina-brâgal. He saw her! Nor careless rolled her eyes on the rider of stormy waves. She fled to his ship in darkness, like a moon-beam through a nightly vale. Annir pursued along the deep; he called the winds of heaNor alone was the king! Starno was by his side. Like U-thorno's young eagle I turned my eyes on my father. ven. *The surly attitude of Starnò and Swaran is well adapted to their fierce and uncomplying dispositions. Their characters, at first sight, seem little different; but, upon examination, we find that the poet has dexterously distinguished between them. They were both dark, stubborn, haughty, and reserved; but Starno was cunning, revengeful, and cruel, to the highest degree; the disposition of Swaran, though savage, was less bloody, and somewhat tinctured with generosity. It is doing injustice to Ossian, to say, that he has not a great variety of characters. We rushed into roaring Urlor. With his peo ple came tall Corman-trunar. We fought; but the foe prevailed. In his wrath my father stood. He lopped the young trees with his sword. His eyes rolled red in his rage. I marked the soul of the king, and I retired in night. From the field I took a broken helmet: a shield that was pierced with steel: pointless was the spear in my hand. I went to find the foe. On a rock sat tall Corman-trunar beside his burning oak; and near him, beneath a tree, sat deep-bosomed Foina-brågal. I threw my broken shield before her. I spoke the words of peace. "Beside his rolling sea lies Annir of many lakes. "The king was pierced in battle; and Starno is "to raise his tomb. Me, a son of Loda, he sends "to white-handed Foina, to bid her send a lock "from her hair to rest with her father in earth. "And thou, king of roaring Urlor, let the battle "cease, till Annir receive the shell from fiery-eyed "Cruth-loda." * Bursting into tears, she rose and tore a lock from her hair; a lock which wandered in the blast along her heaving breast. Corman-trunar gave * Ossian is very partial to the fair sex. Even the daughter of the cruel Annir, the sister of the revengeful and bloody Starno, partakes not of the disagreeable characters so peculiar to her family. She is altogether tender and delicate. Homer, of all ancient poets, uses the sex with least ceremony. His cold contempt is even worse than the downright abuse of the moderns; for to draw abuse implies the pos session of some merit. the shell, and bade me to rejoice before him. I rested in the shade of night, and hid my face in my helmet deep. Sleep descended on the foe. I rose like a stalking ghost. I pierced the side of Corman-trunar. Nor did Foina-brågal escape. She rolled her white bosom in blood. Why then, daughter of heroes, didst thou wake my rage? Morning rose. The foe were fled, like the departure of mist. Annir struck his bossy shield. He called his dark-haired son. I came, streaked with wandering blood: thrice rose the shout of the king, like the bursting forth of a squall of wind from a cloud by night. We rejoiced three days above the dead, and called the hawks of heaven. They came from all their winds to feast on Annir's foes. Swaran, Fingal is alone* on his hill of night. Let thy spear pierce the king in secret; like Annir, my soul shall rejoice. "Son of Annir," said Swaran, "I shall not "slay in shades, I move forth in light: the hawks "rush from all their winds. They are wont to "trace my course: it is not harmless through " war." Burning rose the rage of the king. He thrice raised his gleaming spear. But, starting, he spar * Fingal, according to the custom of the Caledonian kings, had retired to a hill alone, as he himself was to resume the command of the army the next day. Starno might have some intelligence of the king's retiring, which occasions his request to Swaran to stab him; as he foresaw, by his art of divination, that he could not overcome him in open battle. ed his son; and rushed into the night. By Turthor's stream a cave is dark, the dwelling of Conban-carglas. There he laid the helmet of kings, and called the maid of Lulan; but she was distant far in Loda's resounding hall. Swelling in his rage, he strode to where Fingal lay alone. The king was laid on his shield, on his own secret hill. Stern hunter of shaggy boars! no feeble maid is laid before thee. No boy, on his ferny bed, by Turthor's murmuring stream. Here is spread the couch of the mighty, from which they rise to deeds of death! Hunter of shaggy boars, awaken not the terrible! It Starno came murmuring on. Fingal arose in arms. "Who art thou, son of night?" Silent be threw the spear. They mixed their gloomy strife. The shield of Starno fell, cleft in twain. He is bound to an oak. The early beam arose. was then Fingal beheld the king. He rolled awhile bis silent eyes. He thought of other days, when white-bosomed Agandecca moved like the music of songs. He loosed the thong from his hands. Son of Annir, he said, retire. Retire to Gormal of shells; a beam that was set returns. I remember thy white-bosomed daughter; dreadful king, away! Go to thy troubled dwelling, cloudy foe of the lovely! Let the stranger shun thee, thou gloomy in the Lall! A tale of the times of old! |
