Fragments Of Ancient Poetry, Fragment XV

[1]Where is Gealchossa my love, the     daughter of Tuathal-Teachvar?     I left her in the hall of the plain, when I     fought with the hairy Ulfadha. Return     soon, she said, O Lamderg! for     here I wait in sorrow. Her white breaft     rose with sighs; her cheek was wet     with tears. But she cometh not to meet     Lamderg; or sooth his soul after battle.     Silent is the hall of joy; I hear not     the voice of the singer. Brann does     not shake his chains at the gate, glad     at the coming of his master. Where     is Gealchossa my love, the daughter of     Tuathal-Teachvar?     [Footnote: The signification of the names in this fragment are; Gealchossack, white-legged. Tuathal-Teachtmhar, the surly, but fortunate man. Lambhdearg, bloodyhand. Ulfadba, long beard. Fichios, the conqueror of men.]     Lamderg! says Firchios son of Aydon,     Gealchossa may be on the hill;     she and her chosen maids pursuing the     flying deer.     Firchios! no noise I hear. No     sound in the wood of the hill. No     deer fly in my sight; no panting dog     pursueth. I see not Gealchossa my     love; fair as the full moon setting on     the hills of Cromleach. Go, Firchios!     go to Allad, the grey-haired son of     the rock. He liveth in the circle of     stones; he may tell of Gealchossa.     [Footnote: Allad is plainly a Druid consulted on this occasion.]     Allad! saith Firchios, thou who     dwellest in the rock; thou who tremblest     alone; what saw thine eyes of     age?     I saw, answered Allad the old, Ullin the son of Carbre: He came like a     cloud from the hill; he hummed a surly     song as he came, like a storm in     leafless wood. He entered the hall of     the plain. Lamderg, he cried, most     dreadful of men! fight, or yield to Ullin.     Lamderg, replied Gealchoffa,     Lamderg is not here: he fights the     hairy Ulfadha; mighty man, he is not     here. But Lamderg never yields; he     will fight the son of Carbre. Lovely art     thou, O daughter of Tuathal-Teachvar!     said Ullin. I carry thee to the     house of Carbre; the valiant shall have     Gealchossa. Three days from the top     of Cromleach will I call Lamderg to     fight. The fourth, you belong to Ullin,     if Lamderg die, or fly my sword.     Allad! peace to thy dreams!--found     the horn, Firchios!--Ullin may     hear, and meet me on the top of Cromleach.     Lamderg rushed on like a storm.     On his spear he leaped over rivers. Few     were his strides up the hill. The rocks     fly back from his heels; loud crashing     they bound to the plain. His armour,     his buckler rung. He hummed a surly     song, like the noise of the falling     stream. Dark as a cloud he stood above;     his arms, like meteors, shone.     From the summit of the hill, he rolled     a rock. Ullin heard in the hall of     Carbre.--