Fragments Of Ancient Poetry, Fragment XIV

DUCHOMMAR, MORNA.

DUCHOMMAR.

[Footnote: The signification of the names in this fragment are; Dubhchomar, a black well-shaped man. Muirne or Morna, a woman beloved by all. Cormac-cairbre, an unequalled and rough warriour. Cromleach, a crooked hill. Mugruch, a surly gloomy man. Tarman, thunder. Moinie, soft in temper and person.]

Morna, thou fairest of women,

daughter of Cormac-Carbre!

why in the circle of stones, in the cave

of the rock, alone? The stream murmureth

hoarsely. The blast groaneth

in the aged tree. The lake is troubled

before thee. Dark are the clouds of

the sky. But thou art like snow on

the heath. Thy hair like a thin cloud

of gold on the top of Cromleach. Thy

breasts like two smooth rocks on the hill

which is seen from the stream of Brannuin.

Thy arms, as two white pillars

in the hall of Fingal.

MORNA.

Whence the son of Mugruch, Duchommar

the most gloomy of men? Dark

are thy brows of terror. Red thy rolling

eyes. Does Garve appear on the

sea? What of the foe, Duchommar?

DUCHOMMAR.

From the hill I return, O Morna,

from the hill of the flying deer. Three

have I slain with my bow; three with

my panting dogs. Daughter of Cormac-Carbre,

I love thee as my soul. I

have slain a deer for thee. High was

his branchy head; and fleet his feet of

wind.

MORNA.

Gloomy son of Mugruch, Duchommar!

I love thee not: hard is thy heart

of rock; dark thy terrible brow. But

Cadmor the son of Tarman, thou art

the love of Morna! thou art like a sunbeam

on the hill, in the day of the

gloomy storm. Sawest thou the son of

Tarman, lovely on the hill of the chace?

Here the daughter of Cormac-Carbre

waiteth the coming of Cadmor.

DUCHOMMAR.

And long shall Morna wait. His

blood is on my sword. I met him by

the mossy stone, by the oak of the noisy

stream. He fought; but I slew him;

his blood is on my sword. High on

the hill I will raise his tomb, daughter

of Cormac-Carbre. But love thou the

son of Mugruch; his arm is strong as a

storm.

MORNA.

And is the son of Tarman fallen;

the youth with the breast of snow! the

first in the chase of the hill; the foe

of the sons of the ocean!--Duchommar,

thou art gloomy indeed; cruel is

thy arm to me.--But give me that

sword, son of Mugruch; I love the

blood of Cadmor.

[He gives her the sword, with which she instantly stabs him.]

DUCHOMMAR.

Daughter of Cormac-Carbre, thou

hast pierced Duchommar! the sword is

cold in my breast; thou hast killed the

son of Mugruch. Give me to Moinic

the maid; for much she loved Duchommar.

My tomb she will raise on the

hill; the hunter shall see it, and praise

me.--But draw the sword from my

side, Morna; I feel it cold.--

[Upon her coming near him, he stabs her. As she fell, she plucked a stone from the side of the cave, and placed it betwixt them, that his blood might not be mingled with hers.]