XIII *.

CUCHULAID fat by the wall; by the tree of the rustling leaf t.

His

fpear leaned against the moffy rock. His fhield lay by him on the grass. Whilft he thought on the mighty Carbre whom he flew in battle, the scout of the ocean came,. Moran the fon of Fithil.

RISE, Cuchulaid, rife! I fee the fhips of Garve. Many are the foe, Cuchulaid; many the fons of Lochlyn..

MORAN! thou ever trembleft; thy fears increase the foe. They are the fhips of the Defert of hills arrived to af fift Cuchulaid.

This is the opening of the epic poem mentioned in the preface. The two following fragments are parts of fome epifodes of the fame work.

The afpen or poplar tree.

H 2

I

I faw their chief, fays Moran, tall as a rock of ice. His fpear is like that fir; his fhield like the rifing moon. He fat upon a rock on the fhore, as a grey cloud upon the hill. Many, mighty man! I faid, many are our heroes; Garve, well art thou named *, many are the fons of our king.

He answered like a wave on the rock; who is like me here? The valiant live not with me; they go to the earth from my hand. The king of the Defert of hills alone can fight with Garve. Once we wrestled on the hill. Our heels overturned the wood. Rocks fell from their place, and rivulets changed their courfe. Three days we ftrove together; heroes ftood at a distance, and feared. On the fourth, the King faith that I fell; but Garve faith, he

Garve fignifies a man of great fize.

ftood.

stood. Let Cuchulaid yield to him that is ftrong as a ftorm.

No. I will never yield to man. Cuchulaid will conquer or die. Go, Moran, take my fpear; ftrike the shield of Caithbait which hangs before the gate. It never rings in peace. My heroes fhall hear on the hill.

XIV.

DUCHOMMAR, MORNA.

*M

DUCHOM MAR.

The lake is troubled

ORNA, thou fairest of women, daughter of Cormac-Carbre! why in the circle of ftones, in the cave of the rock, alone? The stream murmureth hoarfely. The blast groaneth in the aged tree. before thee. Dark are the clouds of the fky. But thou art like fnow on the heath. Thy hair like a thin cloud of gold on the top of Cromleach. Thy

*The fignification of the names in this fragment are; Dubhchomar, a black well-fhaped man. Muirne or Morna, a woman beloved by all. Cormac-cairbre, an unequalled and rough warriour. Cromleach, a crooked hill. Mugruch, a furly gloomy man. Tarman, thunder. Moinie, foft in temper and perfon.

breafts

breafts like two smooth rocks on the hill which is feen from the ftream of Brannuin. Thy arms, as two white pillars in the hall of Fingal.

MORNA.

WHENCE the son of Mugruch, Duchommar the moft gloomy of men? Dark are thy brows of terror. Red thy rolling eyes. Does Garve appear on the fea? What of the foe, Duchommar?

DUCHOM MAR.

FROM the hill I return, O Morna, from the hill of the flying deer. Three have I flain with my bow; three with my panting dogs. Daughter of Cormac-Carbre, I love thee as my foul. I have flain a deer for thee. High was his branchy head; and fleet his feet of wind.

MORNA.