Cuchullin sat by the wall of Tura, In the shade of the tree of sounding leaf; His spear leant against the cave-pierced rock, His great shield by his side on the grass. The thoughts of the chief were on Cairber. A hero he had slain in battle fierce, When the watcher of the ocean came, The swift son of Fili with the bounding step. "Arise, Cuchullin, arise, I see a gallant fleet from the north, Swift bestir thee, chief of the banquet, Great is Swaran, numerous is his host!" "Moran, answered the dauntless blue-eyed, Weak and trembling wert thou aye; In thy fear the foe is numerous; Son of Fili is Fingal, High champion of the dark-mottled hills." "I saw their leader," answer'd Moran; "Like to a rock was the chief, His spear as a fir on the rocky mountain, His shield as the rising moon: He sat on a rock on the shore As the mist yonder on the hill." "Many," I said, "chief of the strangers, Are the champions that rise with thee, Strong warriors, of hardiest stroke, And keenest brand in the play of men. But more numerous and valiant are the braves That surround the windy Tura." Answer'd the brave, as a wave on a rock, "Who in this land is like me? Thy heroes could not stand in my presence; But low they should fall beneath my hand. Who is he would meet my sword? Save Fingal, king of stormy Selma. Once on a day we grasp'd each other On Melmor, and fierce was our strife. The wood fell in the unyielding fight, The streams turn'd aside, and trembled the cairn. Three days the strife was renew'd, Warriors bravest in battle trembled. On the fourth, said Fingal the king-- 'The ocean chief fell in the glen.' He fell not, was my answer." Let Cuchullin yield to the chief, Who is stronger than the mountain storm. I, said the dauntless blue-eyed, Yield I shall not to living man. Cuchullin shall, resolute as he, be Great in battle, or stainless in death. Son of Fili, seize my spear, Strike the joyless and gloomy shield of Sema; Thou shalt see it high on the wall of spears; No omen of peace was its sound. Swift, son of Fili, strike the shield of Sema, Summon my heroes from forest and copse. Swift he struck the spotted [bossy] shield, Each copse and forest answer'd. Pauseless, the alarm sped through the grove; The deer and the roe started on the heath: Curtha leap'd from the sounding rock: Connal of the doughtiest spear bestirr'd himself Favi left the hind in the chase: Crugeal return'd to festive Jura. Ronan, hark to the shield of the battles, Cuchullin's land signal, Cluthair, Calmar, hither come from the ocean: With thy arms hither come, O Luthair. Son of Finn, thou strong warrior, arise; Cairber [come] from the voiced Cromlec; Bend thy knee, free-hearted Fichi. Cormag [come] from streamy Lena. Coilte, stretch thy splendid side, [limbs] Swift, travelling from Mora, Thy side, whiter than the foam, spread