Part 3 (1/2)

And in this second day's fight Swaran was the victor, but while the battle still raged white-sailed s.h.i.+ps appeared upon the sea.

It was Fingal who came, and Swaran had to fight a second foe.

”Now from the gray mists of the ocean, the white-sailed s.h.i.+ps of Fingal appeared. High is the grove of their masts, as they nod by turns on the rolling wave.”

Swaran saw them from the hill on which he fought, and turning from the pursuit of the men of Erin, he marched to meet Fingal.

But Cathullin, beaten and ashamed, fled to hide himself: ”bending, weeping, sad and slow, and dragging his long spear behind, Cathullin sank in Cromla's wood, and mourned his fallen friends. He feared the face of Fingal, who was wont to greet him from the fields of renown.”

But although Cathullin fled, between Fingal and Swaran battle was renewed till darkness fell. A second day dawned, and again and again the hosts closed in deadly combat until at length Fingal and Swaran met face to face.

”There was a clang of arms! their every blow like the hundred hammers of the furnace. Terrible is the battle of the kings; dreadful the look of their eyes. Their dark brown s.h.i.+elds are cleft in twain. Their steel flies, broken from their helms.

”They fling their weapons down. Each rushes to his hero's grasp.

Their sinewy arms bend round each other: they turn from side to side, and strain and stretch their large and spreading limbs below. But when the pride of their strength arose they shook the hills with their heels. Rocks tumble from their places on high; the green-headed bushes are overturned. At length the strength of Swaran fell; the king of the groves is bound.”

The warriors of Swaran fled then, pursued by the sons of Fingal, till the hero bade the fighting cease, and darkness once more fell over the dreadful field.

”The clouds of night come rolling down. Darkness rests on the steeps of Cromla. The stars of the north arise over the rolling of Erin's waves: they shew their heads of fire, through the flying mist of heaven. A distant wind roars in the wood. Silent and dark is the plain of death.”

Then through the darkness is heard the sad song of minstrels mourning for the dead. But soon the scene changes and mourning is forgotten.

”The heroes gathered to the feast. A thousand aged oaks are burning to the wind. The souls of warriors brighten with joy.

But the king of Lochlin (Swaran) is silent. Sorrow reddens in his eyes of pride. He remembered that he fell.

”Fingal leaned on the s.h.i.+eld of his fathers. His gray locks slowly waved on the wind, and glittered to the beam of night. He saw the grief of Swaran, and spoke to the first of the bards.

”'Raise, Ullin, raise the song of peace. O soothe my soul from war. Let mine ear forget in the sound the dismal noise of arms.

Let a hundred harps be near to gladden the king of Lochlin. He must depart from us with joy. None ever went sad from Fingal.

The lightening of my sword is against the strong in fight.

Peaceful it lies by my side when warriors yield in war.'”

So at the bidding of Fingal the minstrel sang, and soothed the grief of Swaran. And when the music ceased Fingal spoke once more:--

”'King of Lochlin, let thy face brighten with gladness, and thine ear delight in the harp. Dreadful as the storm of thine ocean thou hast poured thy valor forth; thy voice has been like the voice of thousands when they engage in war.

”'Raise, to-morrow, raise thy white sails to the wind. Or dost thou choose the fight? that thou mayest depart renowned like the sun setting in the west.'”

Then Swaran chose to depart in peace. He had no more will to fight against Fingal, so the two heroes swore friends.h.i.+p together. Then once again Fingal called for the song of minstrels.

”A hundred voices at once arose, a hundred harps were strung.

They sang of other times; the mighty chiefs of other years.” And so the night pa.s.sed till ”morning trembles with the beam of the east; it glimmers on Cromla's side. Over Lena is heard the horn of Swaran. The sons of the ocean gather around. Silent and sad they rise on the wave. The blast of Erin is behind their sails.

White as the mist of Morven they float along the sea.”

Thus Swaran and his warriors departed, and Fingal, calling his men together, set forth to hunt. And as he hunted far in the woods he met Cathullin, still hiding, sad and ashamed. But Fingal comforted the beaten hero, reminding him of past victories. Together they returned to Fingal's camp, and there the heroes sang and feasted until ”the soul of Cathullin rose.

The strength of his arm returned. Gladness brightened along his face. Thus the night pa.s.sed away in song. We brought back the morning with joy.