“In Morven dwelt the chief; a beam of war to Fingal. His steps
in the field were marked in blood. Lochlin’s sons had fled
before his angry spear; but mild was the eye of Calmar; soft was
the flow of his yellow locks: they streamed like the meteor of
the night. No maid was the sigh of his soul: his thoughts were
given to friendship—to dark-haired Orla, destroyer of heroes!
Equal were their swords in battle; but fierce was the pride of
Orla—gentle alone to Calmar. Together they dwelt in the cave of
Oithona.” [Orla is sent by the King on a mission of danger amid
the hosts of the enemy. Calmar insists on accompanying him, in
spite of all entreaties to the contrary. They are discovered. A
fight ensues, and they are slain.] “Morn glimmers on the hills:
no living foe is seen; but the sleepers are many; grim they lie
on Erin. The breeze of ocean lifts their locks; yet they do not
awake. The hawks scream above their prey.
“Whose yellow locks wave o’er the breast of a chief? Bright as
the gold of the stranger they mingle with the dark hair of his
friend. ’Tis Calmar: he lies on the bosom of Orla. Theirs is one
stream of blood. Fierce is the look of gloomy Orla. He breathes
not, but his eye is still aflame. It glares in death unclosed.
His hand is grasped in Calmar’s; but Calmar lives! He lives,
though low. ‘Rise,’ said the King, ‘Rise, son of Mora: ’tis mine
to heal the wounds of heroes. Calmar may yet bound on the hills
of Morven.’
“‘Never more shall Calmar chase the deer of Morven with Orla,’
said the hero. ‘What were the chase to me alone? Who should share
the spoils of battle with Calmar? Orla is at rest. Rough was
thy soul, Orla! Yet soft to me as the dew of morn. It glared on
others in lightning: to me a silver beam of night. Bear my sword
to blue-eyed Mora; let it hang in my empty hall. It is not pure
from blood: but it could not save Orla. Lay me with my friend.
Raise the song when I am dead.’” [So they are laid by the stream
of Lubar, and four gray stones mark the dwelling of Orla and
Calmar.]
[Sidenote: _Hæckel’s Visit to Ceylon_]
Ernst Hæckel, in his “Visit to Ceylon” describes the devotion entertained
for him by his Rodiya serving-boy at Belligam, near Galle. The keeper of
the rest-house at Belligam was an old and philosophically-minded man,
whom Hæckel, from his likeness to a well known head, could not help
calling by the name of Socrates. And he continues:—
[Sidenote: _His Rodiya Boy_]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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