[FRAGMENT] XIV. James Macpherson Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T83707 K068251.000 Macpherson, James, 1736-1796 Fragments of ancient poetry, collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and translated from the Galic or Erse language. Edinburgh printed for G. Hamilton and J. Balfour 1760 pp. 62-66. 70p.; 8⁰.

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[ FRAGMENT ] XIV . DUCHOMMAR , MORNA . DUCHOMMAR .

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 furly 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 chace 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 Gadmor .

[ 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 Moinie 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 . ]