There lies beneath that mound to the north
Mac Cumhal’s son, in battle firm.
Of Dearg’s daughter the white-tooth’d son,
In wrath who never harshly spoke.
There lies beneath that mound to the south
Mac Conn’s son, his skin like bloom,
The man who never met his match,
Whose arm in fight dealt no soft blows.
There lies beneath that mound to the east
Oscar, so brave, famous in deeds.
Though the Clan Morn were famous men,
He counted them of little weight.
There lies beneath that mound to the west
The man by women thought so fair,
M’Ronan for his beauty famed,
Beneath the mound to the west he lies.
Beneath the mound that is below me
Lies he so famed for ugly pate;
Conan, in every virtue rich,
Beneath the mound below me lies.
There lies.
* * * * *
Gorry, let us go to Finn,
A service which we do not like,
To ask of him the head of Gaul,
That we may lay it down to rest.
I am unwilling to go,
Since I hear not aught of the head,
And that we cannot have revenge,
For the head of the great Mac Morn.
Whether thou willest or not, I will,
Said the great but foolish Conan;
I will slay all the men I can
In vengeance for the yellow-haired Gaul.
Let us kill the three princes of the Feinn,
As we can’t slay Finn himself.
Speak, Gorry, speak quickly out,
Let us be found at once on their hands.
Thou shalt kill great Ossian M’Finn,
I will kill the valorous Oscar,
Dyre shall kill the dauntless Caoilte,
Let them have us all assault.
I shall show no foolish softness,
Gentleness doesn’t suit with Finn;
Though in our arms we all should fall,
We will have no help from Gaul;
If Finn is there his strength will be there,
Let us send Finn down to his grave.
True and guileless are the words
Which to thee I speak, Gorry.
Gorry.
[137] The Fenian poetry to which the Dean has attached the names of the
authors, is now all given. We proceed with those whose authors’ names
are not attached to them. Many of these are manifestly of the same
period with the others, and they may with equal accuracy be attributed
to Ossian or others of the Fenian bards.