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""Thou terrible man with the gloomy brow!
Morna's love to young Cathba is plighted,
In darkness and gloom, like a sunbeam he shines,
Mid the storm which the young trees had blighted.

"Hast thou seen my young Cathba, all lovely and

fair?

On the hill of the hinds he stays,
The daughter of Cormac is waiting him there;
Canst thou tell me why thus he delays?'

"Long, long shalt thou tarry, Duchomar replied,

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Full long shall his coming be staid,

Oh, Morna! behold this unsheathed sword,
And mark the red blood on its blade.

"Here wanders the blood of thy Cathba brave,
And he fell by Branno's stream!
On Cromla's heights I will raise his tomb,
'Neath the pale moon's flickering beam;

""Oh, turn on Duchomar thine eyes of love;
As strong as the storm is his arm!
Its grasp of power shall crush thy foes,
And thy loveliness shelter from harm!'

"With wildly bursting voice she cried,

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Is the son of Torman low?

Has he fallen upon his echoing hills,

My youth, with the breast of snow?

""The first in the chase of the stately deer,
To the strangers of ocean the foe,
The first on the battle plains was he,
My youth of the breast of snow!

"Duchomar, thou dark and gloomy man,
To Morna how cruel thy love!
Each drop of that wandering blood how dear,
Let the tears of Morna prove!

"Oh, give me that sword, 'twas my Cathba's arm
That once wielded its shining blade!
Thou art dark to me, thou terrible man,

Would Morna thine arm could have staid!'

"He gave the sword to her streaming tears,
And she pierced his savage breast!
He fell like a bank of a mountain stream;
His voice was weak and depressed:

""In my youth I am slain! the sword is cold;
Oh, Morna! I feel it is cold
Oh, draw the steel from the fatal wound,
And my mantle around me fold!

""Oh give me to Moina! the maid whose love
Would have cheered Duchomar's life!

She will raise my tomb in the dark green wood,
Far from the scenes of strife.'

"Trembling and pale the maiden came,
In the midst of her tears she came,
And drew the sword from the crimson wound,
While horror shook her frame.

"He seized the sword with a demon's strength,
And pierced her tender side;

The bubbling blood gushed from the wound,
And she sank! brave Cathba's pride!

"Her hair spread o'er the crimson ground,
Her white arms stained with gore;
Rolling in death the maiden lay
Upon the rocky shore!"

"Peace," said Cuthullin, "to their souls!
"Great were those heroes in the fight,
On evening clouds, oh! let them ride,
And show their features to my sight;

"My soul shall then be firm and bright,
Mine arm like thunder of the heaven!
My steel shall deal destruction round,
Like lightning which the rocks hath riven.

"And, Morna, thou in all thy charms
Dwell near the window of my rest,
Be thou a moonbean in my path,

When thoughts of peace my soul have blest!

"Gather the strength of all the tribes!
Move on to aid in Erin's war!
The prowess of your arms display!
Attend my bright and shining car!

"Rejoice in great Cuthullin's fame;
Place by my side three spears;
Follow the bounding of my steed,
When Swaran's host appears!

"Firm in my friends shall be my soul,
When battle darkens round my steel;
With strength, their valour nerves my arms,
When fighting for my country's weal!"

As a stream of foam, from the dark steep
Of shady Cromla's side,
When heavy thunder rolls above,

And shakes Heaven's arches wide;

And dark-browed night descending fast,
Obscures near half the hill,
Through breaches of the tempest dark
Ghosts peep with voices shrill;

So fierce, so vast, so terrible,
Rush'd on the sons of strife,
Their chief, the foremost in the field,
Was seen with vengeance rife;

He there, like ocean's mighty whale,
By stormy waves pursued,
Poured forth his valour like a stream,
Or like a roaring flood.

The sons of Lochlin heard the noise,
As the sound of a winter storm;
Great Swaran struck his bossy shield,
And gave the loud alarm!

"What murmur rolls along the hill,
Like gathered flies at summer eve?
'Tis Erin's fast descending sons!
Or rustling winds mine ear deceive.

"Oh! son of Arno, mount the hill,
View the dark heath on every side!"
Trembling he sped, but soon returned
With beating heart and rapid stride.

His words were faltering, broken, slow,
And wildly rolled his dark blue eyes:
"Chief of the dark brown battle shield,
The hosts of Erin plot surprise!

"I see the stream of battle flow,
The strength of Erin moves along;
The car, the car of war appears,
The car of Semo's noble son!

"Behind 'tis bending like a wave,
Like the sunbeam dazzling bright;
Its sides with jewels are embossed,
Which shine like foam at night.

"Of polished yew its beam is made;
Its seat the finest, whitest bone;
Its sides are filled with shining spears;
The floor is the hero's stepping stone!

"Before the right side of the car

The high-bred, snorting horse is seen; Broad-breasted, proud, wide-leaping steed, His warlike ardour fierce and keen!

"The spreading of his mane above
Is like a waving stream of smoke;
Bright are his tall and graceful sides,
Sulin-Sifadda, strong as oak!

"Before the left side of the car

The fleet Dusronnal bounds along; High-headed, thin-maned, snorting horse, Son of the hill, with muscles strong!

"Bound by a thousand strong made thongs,
The stately car is raised on high;
Each thong adorned with shining gems,
All dazzling to the hero's eye!

"Within the car the chief is seen,
Cuthullin is the hero's name;
Great Semo's son, the king of shells,
Nations afar have heard his fame!

"His cheek is like my polished yew,
His blue eye, rolling bright,
Beneath the dark arch of his brow,
Shines like a flame at night!

"Fly, king of ocean, fly the field,
He comes like storm along the vale!
His bushy hair streams in the wind,
He makes his foes with terror pale.",

"When did I fly?" replied the king;
"When fled I from the battle spear?
From danger's form shall Swaran shrink?
Chief of the little soul, beware!

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