tle together. Their friendship was ftrong as their fteel; and death walked between them to the field. They came on the foe like two rocks falling from the brows of Ardven. Their fwords were ftained with the blood of the valiant: warriors fainted at their names. Who was equal to Ofcar, but Dermid? and who to Dermid, but Ofcar?

They killed mighty Dargo in the field; Dargo who never fled in war. His daughter was fair as the morn; mild as the beam of night. Her eyes, like two stars in a shower; her breath the gale of spring: her breasts, as the new-fallen fnow floating on the moving heath. The warriors faw her, and loved; their fouls were fixed on the maid. Each loved her as his fame; each muft poffefs her or die. But her foul was fixed on Ofcar; the fon of Caruth was the youth of her love. She forgot the blood of her father; and loved the hand that flew him.

Son of Caruth, said Dermid, I love; O Ofear, I love this maid. But her foul cleaveth unto thee; and nothing can heal Dermid. Here, pierce this bofom, Ofcar; relieve me, my friend, with thy fword.

My fword, fon of Diaran, shall never be ftained with the blood of Dermid.

Who then is worthy to flay me, O Oscar, son of Caruth? Let not my life pass away unknown. Let none but Ofcar flay me. Send me with honour to the grave, and let my death be renowned.

Dermid, make ufe of thy fword; fon of Diaran wield thy fteel. Would that I fell with thee! that my death came from the hand of Dermid!

They fought by the brook of the mountain, by the ftreams of Branno. Blood tinged the running water, and curdled round the moffy ftones. The ftately Dermid fell; he fell, and smiled in death.

And falleft thou, fon of Diaran, falleft thou by Ofcar's hand! Dermid, who never yielded in war, thus do I fee thee fall! He went and returned to the maid of his love; he returned, but the perceived his grief.

Why that gloom, fon of Caruth? what shades thy mighty foul?

Though once renowned for the bow, O maid, I have loft my fame. Fixed on a tree by the brook of the hill, is the field of the valiant Gormur, whom I flew in battle. I have wafted the day in vain, ner could my arrow pierce it.

Let me try, fon of Caruth, the skill of Dargo's daughter. My hands were taught the bow: my father delighted in my fkill.

She went. He stood behind the fhield. Her arrow flew, and pierced his breaft.

Bleffed be that hand of fnow; and bleffed that bow of yew! Who but the daughter of Dargo was worthy to flay the fon of Caruth? Lay me in the earth, my fair one; lay me by the fide of Dermid.

Ofcar the maid replied, I have the foul of the mighty Dargo. Well pleafed I can meet death. My forrow I can end. She pierced her white bofom with the steel. She fell; fhe trembled; and died.

By the brook of the hill their graves are laid; a birch's unequal fhade covers their tomb. Often on their green earthen tombs the branchy fons of the mountain feed, when mid-day is all in flames, and filence over all the hills.

FINIS