English Translation,

The Author of this is Ossian.

Know ye a fhort tale of Fingal!

A tale that claims your attention.

It concerns the son of Comhal of powerful sway ;
Whom, while I live, I fhall in woe remember,
We were few in his train,

By the fall of Roya, that foftly murmurs,

When we faw a large failed boat afar,
Which conveyed a fair over ocean.
Fifty alert heroes fat around the king;

Trusty were their deeds in fupport of right.

How unlike, alas! are they whom I behold in your stead, O ye, whofe ftrength could controul each land!

We all flood up in haste,

Except Fingal himself, and Gaul,
To wait on the high bounding boat,
Whose course was parting the waves.
It neither flackened nor rested,
Till it entered our wonted haven.
It croffed the pool below the fall,
When out of it rofe a daughter of youth.
Brighter the fhone than a beam of the fun;
Her air and manner exceeded her form.

In prefence of the fair, who came from afar,
We all refpectful flood.

She proceeds to the tent of Fingal,

And greets him in mufical accent.
The fon of Comhal made fuitable reply,

G ?

In terms of her soft greeting.

The king of afpect mild enquired aloud,

From what quarter the fair complexioned maid had come,
Or what land she had left for that of Fingal ?

-"Give us briefly your report "

Daughter I am to the king of the wave-furrounded land
Its groves proclaim my tearful moans.

But of all the lands which the fun furrounds in his courfer
Thine of the generous brave is that which I fought."

"Princess of the easy gait !

Young maid of the perfect form!

The purpose on which you came from afar,

Declare, though to me it be bitter."

"Thy fupport I claim, if thou art Fingal ;"

(Said the maid addreffing us,)

"For the excellence of thy kingly mien and fame,

Vouchfafe me speedily and seasonably thy protection.”

"Who," (faid the king who knew afar),

"Is the perfon that now pursues you?

My protection, O maid! fhall be your defence.
Against all who dare."

"There comes with wrath over fea,

A warrior renowned for might in pursuit of me;
The fon of the king of Sora's land, of keen arms,
Whofe name is Dayro Borb.

To his fuit I opposed a vow,

That Fingal fhould receive me from off the fea,
And that I fhould never be his fpouse,

Though great were his deeds, and high his fame."
Briefly replied, with determined voice,

He who could check each king,

"Until the men of Fingal break thy vow,

His fpoufe thou shalt not be."

We fee advancing on the wave

A warrior whose stature none could equal,
Travelling the fea with speed,

In the very direction the maid had come.

A

A close helmet burnished round the head
Of the dauntless man of strength;

A black-ribbed shield on his arm,

Whofe field was marked with figured sports.
A huge and maffy sword

Was fixed on the fide of the mighty,
Over whofe hilt he fportful exercised,
As he approached our people.
Two javelins, winged with death,
Stood in the hollow of his fhield.

For ftrength, for prowefs, and for might,
The hero matchlefs feemed.

A noble air and king-like eye

Marked his manly face;

Fresh was his bloom, and white his teeth,

As he rode the founding furge in his speed.
To land he bounded in his course,

Nor did he regard the proffer of Fingal.
Our fifty heroes then present,

Whose deaths were in his foul,

Dreaded the fate of the man fo bold of deed,

Nor was there a hero of us untroubled in thought.

Off his wave as he came to land,

The far famed king did afk,

"Do you know, O maid,

If that be the man you spoke of?"

"I do know, fon of Comhal; O Fingal!
Much harm, I fear, he will do thy people;

He will attempt to bear me away,

Though great be thy might, generous Fingal."
Ofcar and Gaul started from their place,

Heroes fierce and victorious in conflict,

• There were two heroes of the name of Ofcar, befides Oflian's fon. The laft is not the one here meant; for he is always diftinguished by fome endearing or peculiar epithet, as mo mbac fein, Ionmbuin, Og, Leige, &c.

And stood out from among the people,
Between the man of might and the king.
The warrior of portly form advanced
With wrath and with ftrength toward them,
And, paft us, he rushed on the maid,
As fhe ftood by the fhoulder of Fingal.
The fon of Morni gave an eager caft
Of his firm fpear, to stay him.
Nor weak was the caft;

It parted his fhield in twain.

Gaul of the glowing spirit rushed on,

To hew down the hero, who stood as a rock of ice.

Whoever fhould then behold them,

Furious would feem the ftrife of death.
The hand of Morni's fon laid low

The king of Sora's fon-tale of grief!

Sad were our people for the coming of the maid,

On whofe account the hero fell in dread affray.
After the mighty had fallen

On ocean's strand, O deed of woe!

The daughter of the king of the wave-furrounded land
Remained for a year in the land of Fingal.

We buried, by the fide of the water-fall,
The man of might and of prowess;

And we placed on the point of each finger
A ring of gold, in honour of the king.

*

A Hoodir soo Farris Filli.

Innis dowin a Erris

Ille Feyni Errin

Kynnis tarla yevni

The original of the last four lines is given as a fecond reading in the MS.

In gath Yawrich ni beymin.

Ne math v Kowle

Mo fkael o chath Yawrich

Cha war Ofkyr invin

Hug mor cofk er chalmi

Cha warr feachta vec Kheilt

Na gaffre fean alwe

Di hut oyk ni Feane
Inn in neyda arryth
Di marwe mc Lowych
Se vi mek fin tathryc
Di hut oyk ni Halbin
Di marwe Feyn Brettin
Di hut mc Re Lethlin
Fa linnyth veith chonyth
Bi chre fael farri

Bi lawe chalma in gonyth

Innis doif a Ille

Mac mo vec is marrwhi
Kynnis di we Oskyr
Skolta in gath warri.
Bi yekkir a innis

Di bi wor in nobbir

Ni royve marve fin gath fin

Hut la armow Ofkyr

Ne loyth efs oyvni

Na feaywck re eltow
Na re bwnni froyth
Na Ofkyr fin gath fin.
Weith fay ma yerri
Mir willith re trane yeith
Na mir chrann veafs ewee
Si Wew gi a nauchee.
Mir chonnik Re Errin

Voa er lar a chaa
Hug Ofkir na chonew

Mir harwe twnni traa