Sul-malla Of Lumon. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C D C E B E B B C B C F A G| This poem which properly speaking is a continuation of the last opens with an address to Sul malla the daughter of the king of Inis huna whom Ossian met at the chase as he returned from the battle of Rath col Sul malla invites Ossian and Oscar to a feast at the residence of her father who was then absent on the wars Upon hearing their names and family she relates an expedition of Fingal into Inis huna She casually mentioning Cathmor chief of Atha who then assisted her father against his enemies Ossian introduces the episode of Culgorm and Suran dronlo two Scandinavian kings in whose wars Ossian himself and Cathmor were engaged on opposite sides The story is imperfect a part of the original being lost Ossian warned in a dream by the ghost of Trenmor sets sail from Inis huna | A |
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| WHO moves so stately on Lumon at the roar of the foamy waters Her hair falls upon her heaving breast White is her arm behind as slow she bends the bow Why dost thou wander in deserts like a light through a cloudy field The young roes are panting by their secret rocks Return thou daughter of kings the cloudy night is near It was the young branch of green Inishuna Sul malla of blue eyes She sent the bard from her rock to bid us to her feast Amidst the song we sat down in Cluba's echoing hall White moved the hands of Sul malla on the trembling strings Half heard amidst the sound was the name of Atha's king he that was absent in battle for her own green land Nor absent from her soul was he he came 'midst her thoughts by night Ton thena looked in from the sky and saw her tossing arms | B |
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| The sound of shells had ceased Amidst long locks Sul malla rose She spoke with bended eyes and asked of our course through seas quot for of the kings of men are ye tall riders of the wave quot quot Not unknown quot I said quot at his streams is he the father of our race Fingal has been heard of at Cluba blue eyed daughter of kings Not only at Crona's stream is Ossian and Oscar known Foes tremble at our voice and shrink in other lands quot | C |
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| quot Not unmarked quot said the maid quot by Sul malla is the shield of Morven's king It hangs high in my father's hall in memory of the past when Fingal came to Cluba in the days of other years Loud roared the boar of Culdarnu in the midst of his rocks and woods Inis huna sent her youths but they failed and virgins wept over tombs Careless went Fingal to Culdarnu On his spear rolled the strength of the woods He was bright they said in his locks the first of mortal men Nor at the feast were heard his words His deeds passed from his soul of fire like the rolling of vapors from the face of the wandering sun Not careless looked the blue eyes of Cluba on his stately steps In white bosoms rose the king of Selma in the midst of their thoughts by night But the winds bore the stranger to the echoing vales of his roes Nor lost to other lands was he like a meteor that sinks in a cloud He came forth at times in his brightness to the distant dwelling of foes His fame came like the sound of winds to Cluba's woody vale | D |
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| quot Darkness dwells in Cluba of harps the race of kings is distant far in battle is my father Conmor and Lormar my brother king of streams Nor darkening alone are they a beam from other lands is nigh the friend of strangers in Atha the troubler of the field High from their misty hills looks forth the blue eyes of Erin for he is far away young dweller of their souls Nor harmless white hands of Erin is Cathmor in the skirts of war he rolls ten thousand before him in his distant field quot | C |
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| quot Not unseen by Ossian quot I said quot rushed Cathmor from his streams when he poured his strength on I thorno isle of many waves In strife met two kings in I thorno Culgorm and Suran dronlo each from his echoing isle stern hunters of the boar | E |
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| quot They met a boar at a foamy stream each pierced him with his spear They strove for the fame of the deed and gloomy battle rose From isle to isle they sent a spear broken and stained with blood to call the friends of their fathers in their sounding arms Cathmor came from Erin to Colgorm red eyed king I aided Suran dronlo in his land of boars | B |
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| quot We rushed on either side of a stream which roared through a blasted heath High broken rocks were round with all their bending trees Near were two circles of Loda with the stone of power where spirits descended by night in dark red streams of fire There mixed with the murmur of waters rose the voice of aged men they called the forms of night to aid them in their war | E |
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| quot Heedless I stood with my people where fell the foamy stream from rocks The moon moved red from the mountain My song at times arose Dark on the other side young Cathmor heard my voice for he lay beneath the oak in all his gleaming arms Morning came we rushed to the fight from wing to wing is the rolling of strife They fell like the thistle's head beneath autumnal winds | B |
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| quot In armor came a stately form I mixed my strokes with the chief By turns our shields are pierced loud rung our steely mail His helmet fell to the ground In brightness shone the foe His eyes two pleasant flames rolled between his wandering locks I knew Cathmor of Atha and threw my spear on earth Dark we turned and silent passed to mix with other foes | B |
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| quot Not so passed the striving kings They mixed in echoing fray like the meeting of ghosts in the dark wing of winds Through either breast rushed the spears nor yet lay the foes on earth A rock received their fall half reclined they lay in death Each held the lock of his foe each grimly seemed to roll his eyes The stream of the rock leapt on their shields and mixed below with blood | C |
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| quot The battle ceased in I thorno The strangers met in peace Cathmor from Atha of streams and Ossian king of harps We placed the dead in earth Our steps were by Runar's bay With the bounding boat afar advanced a ridgy wave Dark was the rider of seas but a beam of light was there like the ray of the sun in Stromlo's rolling smoke It was the daughter of Suran dronlo wild in brightened looks Her eyes were wandering flames amidst disordered locks Forward is her white arm with the spear her high heaving breast is seen white as foamy waves that rise by turns amidst rocks They are beautiful but terrible and mariners call the winds | B |
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| quot Come ye dwellers of Loda quot she said quot come Carchar pale in the midst of clouds Sluthmor that stridest in airy halls Corchtur terrible in winds Receive from his daughter's spear the foes of Suran dronlo No shadow at his roaring streams no mildly looking form was he When he took up his spear the hawks shook their sounding wings for blood was poured a round the steps of dark eyed Suran dronlo He lighted me no harmless beam to glitter on his streams Like meteors I was bright but I blasted the foes of Suran dronlo quot | C |
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| Nor unconcerned heard Sul malla the praise of Cathmor of shields He was within her soul like a fire in secret heath which awakes at the voice of the blast and sends its beam abroad Amidst the song removed the daughter of kings like the voice of a summer breeze when it lifts the heads of flowers and curls the lakes and streams The rustling Sound gently spreads o'er the vale softly pleasing as it saddens the soul | F |
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| By night came a dream to Ossian formless stood the shadow of Trenmor He seemed to strike the dim shield on Selma's streamy rock I rose in my rattling steel I knew that war was near before the winds our sails were spread when Lumon showed its streams to the morn | A |
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| Come from the watching night Malvina lonely beam | G |
James Macpherson
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