Fingal - Book I Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C D E E F C G H I J| ARGUMENT | A |
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| Cuthullin general of the Irish tribes in the minority of Cormac king of Ireland sitting alone beneath a tree at the gate of Tura a castle of Ulster the other chiefs having gone on a hunting party to Cromla a neighboring hill is informed of the landing of Swaran king of Lochlin by Moran the son of Fithil one of his scouts He convenes the chiefs a council is held and disputes run high about giving battle to the enemy Connal the petty king of Togorma and an intimate friend of Cuthullin was for retreating till Fingal king of those Caledonians who inhabited the north west coast of Scotland whose aid had been previously solicited should arrive but Calmar the son of Matha lord of Lara a country in Connaught was for engaging the enemy immediately Cuthullin of himself willing to fight went into the opinion of Calmar Marching towards the enemy he missed three of his bravest heroes Fergus Duch mar and C thba Fergus arriving tells Cuthullin of the death of the two other chiefs which introduces the affecting episode of Morna the daughter of Cormac The army of Cuthullin is descried at a distance by Swaran who sent the son of Arno to observe the motions of the enemy while he himself ranged his forces in order of battle The son of Arno returning to Swaran describes to him Cuthullin's chariot and the terrible appearance of that hero The armies engage but night coming on leaves the victory undecided Cuthullin according to the hospitality of the times sends to Swaran a formal invitation to a feast by his bard Carril the son of Kinfena Swaran refuses to come Carril relates to Cuthullin the story of Grudar and Brassolis A party by Connal's advice is sent to observe the enemy which closes the action of the first day | B |
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| CUTHULLIN sat by Tura's wall by the tree of the rustling sound His spear leaned against the rock His shield lay on the grass by his side Amid his thoughts of mighty Cairbar a hero slain by the chief in war the scout of ocean comes Moran the son of Fithil | C |
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| Arise said the youth Cuthullin arise I see the ships of the north Many chief of men are the foe Many the heroes of the sea borne Swaran Moran replied the blue eyed chief thou ever tremblest son of Fithil Thy fears have increased the foe It is Fingal king of deserts with aid to green Erin of streams I beheld their chief says Moran tall as a glittering rock His spear is a blasted pine His shield the rising moon He sat on the shore like a cloud of mist on the silent hill Many chief of heroes I said many are our hands of war Well art thou named the mighty man but many mighty men are seen from Tura's windy walls | D |
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| He spoke like a wave on a rock 'Who in this land appears like me Heroes stand not in my presence they fall to earth from my hand Who can meet Swaran in fight Who but Fingal king of Selma of storms Once we wrestled on Malmor our heels overturned the woods Rocks fell from their place rivulets changing their course fled murmuring from our side Three days we renewed the strife heroes stood at a distance and trembled On the fourth Fingal says that the king of the ocean fell but Swaran says he stood Let dark Cuthullin yield to him that is strong as the storms of his land ' | - |
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| No replied the blue eyed chief I never yield to mortal man Dark Cuthullin shall be great or dead Go son of Fithil take my spear Strike the sounding shield of Semo It hangs at Tura's rustling gale The sound of peace is not its voice My heroes shall hear and obey He went He struck the bossy shield The hills the rocks reply The sound spreads along the wood deer start by the lake of roes Curach leaps from the sounding rock and Connal of the bloody spear Crugal's breast of snow beats high The son of Favi leaves the dark brown hind It is the shield of war said Ronnart the spear of Cuthullin said Lugar Son of the sea put on thy arms Calmar lift thy sounding steel Puno dreadful hero arise Cairbar from thy red tree of Cromla Bend thy knee O Eth descend from the streams of Lena Caolt stretch thy side as thou movest along the whistling heath of Mora thy side that is white as the foam of the troubled sea when the dark winds pour it on rocky Cuthon | E |
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| Now I behold the chiefs in the pride of their former deeds Their souls are kindled at the battles of old at the actions of other times Their eyes are flames of fire They roll in search of the foes of the land Their mighty hands are on their swords Lightning pours from their sides of steel They come like streams from the mountains each rushes roaring from the hill Bright are the chiefs of battle in the armor of their fathers Gloomy and dark their heroes follow like the gathering of the rainy clouds behind the red meteors of heaven The sounds of crashing arms ascend The gray dogs howl between Unequal bursts the song of battle Rocking Cromla echoes round On Lena's dusky heath they stand like mist that shades the hills of autumn when broken and dark it settles high and lifts its head to heaven | E |
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| Hail said Cuthullin Sons of the narrow vales hail hunters of the deer Another sport is drawing near it is like the dark rolling of that wave on the coast Or shall we fight ye sons of war or yield green Erin to Lochlin O Connal speak thou first of men thou breaker of the shields thou hast often fought with Lochlin wilt thou lift thy father's spear | F |
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| Cuthullin calm the chief replied the spear of Connal is keen it delights to shine in battle to mix with the blood of thousands But though my hand is bent on fight my heart is for the peace of Erin Behold thou first in Cormac's war the sable fleet of Swaran His masts are many on our coasts like reeds on the lake of Lego His ships are forests clothed with mists when the trees yield by turns to the squally wind Many are his chiefs in battle Connal is for peace Fingal would shun his arm the first of mortal men Fingal who scatters the mighty as stormy winds the echoing Cona and night settles with all her clouds on the hill | C |
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| Fly thou man of peace said Colmar fly said the son of Matha go Connal to thy silent hills where the spear never brightens in war Pursue the dark brown deer of Cromla stop with thine arrows the bounding roes of Lena But blue eyed son of Semo Cuthullin ruler of the field scatter thou the Sons of Lochlin roar through the ranks of their pride Let no vessel of the kingdom of snow bound on the dark rolling waves of Inistore Rise ye dark winds of Erin rise roar whirlwinds of Lara of hinds Amid the tempest let me die torn in a cloud by angry ghosts of men amid the tempest let Calmar die if ever chase was sport to him so much as the battle of shields | G |
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| Calmar Connal slow replied I never fled young son of Matha I was swift with my friends in fight but small is the fame of Connal The battle was won in my presence the valiant overcame But son of Semo hear my voice regard the ancient throne of Cormac Give wealth and half the land for peace till Fingal shall arrive on our coast Or if war be thy choice I lift the sword and spear My joy shall be in midst of thousands my soul shall alighten through the gloom of the fight | H |
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| To me Cuthullin replies pleasant is the noise of arms pleasant as the thunder of heaven before the shower of spring But gather all the shining tribes that I may view the sons of war Let then pass along the heath bright as the sunshine before a storm when the west wind collects the clouds and Morven echoes over all her oaks But where are my friends in battle the supporters of my arm in danger Where art thou white bosomed C thba Where is that cloud in war Duch mar Hast thou left me O Fergus in the day of the storm Fergus first in our joy at the feast son of Rossa arm of death | I |
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| comest thou like a roe from | J |
James Macpherson
(1)
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