Torlath fell by his lin in the day of his fame. hand. Lego's heroes mourned. around the chief, like the clouds of the desert. A thousand swords rose at once; a thousand arrows flew; but he stood like a rock in the midst He strode Dark Slimora echoed wide. The sons The battle spread over Lego. of a roaring sea. They fell around. in blood. of Ullin came. The chief of Erin overcame. He returned over the field with his fame. But pale he returned! The joy of his face was dark. He rolled his eyes in silence. The sword hung, unsheathed, in his hand. His spear bent at every step! "Carril," said the chief in secret, "the strength " of Cuthullin fails. My days are with the years "that are past. No morning of mine shall arise. 66 They shall seek me at Temora, but I shall not "be found. Cormac will weep in his hall, and say, Where is Erin's chief? But my name is re"nowned! my fame in the song of bards. The "youth will say in secret, O let me die as Cuthul"lin died! Renown clothed him like a robe, "The light of his fame is great. Draw the ar"row from my side. Lay Cuthullin beneath "that oak. Place the shield of Caithbat near, "that they may behold me amidst the arms of my fathers!" "And is the son of Semo fallen?" said Carril with a sigh. "Mournful are Tura's walls. Sor" row dwells at Dunscäi. Thy spouse is left alone "in her youth. The son* of thy love is alone! "He shall come to Bragéla, and ask her why she "weeps? He shall lift his eyes to the wall, and 66 see his father's sword. Whose sword is that? "he will say. The soul of his mother is sad. "Who is that, like the hart of the desert, in the "murmur of his course? His eyes look wildly "round in search of his friend. Connal, son of "Colgar, where hast thou been when the mighty "fell? Did the seas of Togorma roll around "thee? Was the wind of the south in thy sails? "The mighty have fallen in battle, and thou wast "not there. Let none tell it in Selma, nor in "Morven's woody land. Fingal will be sad, and "the sons of the desert mourn!" By the dark rolling waves of Lego they raised the hero's tomb. Luäth,† at a distance, lies. The song of bards rose over the dead. "Blest be thy soul,‡ son of Semo! Thou wert "mighty in battle. Thy strength was like the strength of a stream! thy speed like the eagle's wing. Thy path in battle was terrible: the * Conloch, who was afterwards very famous for his great exploits in Ireland. He was so remarkable for his dexterity in handling the javelin, that when a good marksman is described, it has passed into a proverb, in the north of Scotland, he is unerring as the arm of Conloch. † It was of old, the custom to bury the favourite dog near the master. This was not peculiar to the ancient Scots, for we find it practised by many other nations in their ages of heroism. There is a stone still shown at Dunscäi in the isle of Sky, to which Cuthullin commonly bound his dog Luath. The stone goes by his name to this day. This is the song of the bards over Cuthullin's tomb. Every stapza closes with some remarkable title of the hero, which was always the custom in funeral elegies. steps of death were behind thy sword. Blest "be thy soul, son of Semo, car-borne chief of “Dunscäi! Thou hast not fallen by the sword of "the mighty, neither was thy blood on the spear "of the brave. The arrow came, like the sting "of death in a blast: nor did the feeble hand "which drew the bow, perceive it. Peace to thy "soul, in thy cave, chief of the isle of mist!" "The mighty are dispersed at Temora: there "is none in Cormac's hall. The king mourns behold thy return. " in his youth. He does not "The sound of thy shield is ceased: his foes are "gathering round. Soft be thy rest in thy cave. "chief of Erin's wars! Bragéla will not hope for 46 66 'thy return, or see thy sails in ocean's foam. "Her steps are not on the shore: nor her ear open to the voice of thy rowers. She sits in "the hall of shells. She sees the arms of him "that is no more. Thine eyes are full of tears, "daughter of car-borne Sorglan! Blest be thy "soul in death, O chief of shady Tura!" |