[
FRAGMENT
]
IX
.
THOU
askest
,
fair
daughter
of
the
isles
!
whose
memory
is
preserved
in
these
tombs
?
The
memory
of
Ron
nan
the
bold
,
and
Connan
the
chief
of
men
;
and
of
her
,
the
fairest
of
maids
,
Rivine
the
lovely
and
the
good
.
The
wing
of
time
is
laden
with
care
.
Every
moment
hath
woes
of
its
own
.
Why
seek
we
our
grief
from
afar
?
or
give
our
tears
to
those
of
other
times
?
But
thou
commandest
,
and
I
obey
,
O
fair
daugh
ter
of
the
isles
!
CONAR
was
mighty
in
war
.
Caul
was
the
friend
of
strangers
.
His
gates
were
open
to
all
;
midnight
darkened
not
on
his
barred
door
.
Both
lived
upon
the
sons
of
the
mountains
.
Their
bow
was
the
support
of
the
poor
.
CONNAN
was
the
image
of
Conar's
soul
.
Caul
was
renewed
in
Ronnan
his
son
.
Rivine
the
daughter
of
Conar
was
the
love
of
Ronnan
;
her
brother
Con
nan
was
his
friend
.
She
was
fair
as
the
harvest-moon
setting
in
the
seas
of
Molo
chasquir
.
Her
soul
was
settled
on
Ron
nan
;
the
youth
was
the
dream
of
her
nights
.
RIVINE
,
my
love
!
says
Ronnan
,
I
go
to
my
king
in
Norway
Supposed
to
be
Fergus
II
.
This
fragment
is
rec
koned
not
altogether
so
ancient
as
most
of
the
rest
.
.
A
year
and
a
day
shall
bring
me
back
.
Wilt
thou
be
true
to
Ronnan
?
RONNAN
!
a
year
and
a
day
I
will
spend
in
sorrow
.
Ronnan
,
behave
like
a
man
,
and
my
soul
shall
exult
in
thy
valour
.
Connan
my
friend
,
says
Ron
nan
,
wilt
thou
preserve
Rivine
thy
si
ster
?
Durstan
is
in
love
with
the
maid
;
and
soon
shall
the
sea
bring
the
stran
ger
to
our
coast
.
RONNAN
,
I
will
defend
:
Do
thou
securely
go
.
—
He
went
.
He
return
ed
on
his
day
.
But
Durstan
returned
before
him
.
GIVE
me
thy
daughter
,
Conar
,
says
Durstan
;
or
fear
and
feel
my
power
.
HE
who
dares
attempt
my
sister
,
says
Connan
,
must
meet
this
edge
of
steel
.
Unerring
in
battle
is
my
arm
:
my
sword
,
as
the
lightning
of
heaven
.
RONNAN
the
warriour
came
;
and
much
he
threatened
Durstan
.
BUT
,
faith
Euran
the
servant
of
gold
,
Ronnan
!
by
the
gate
of
the
north
shall
Durstan
this
night
carry
thy
fair
one
away
.
Accursed
,
answers
Ron
nan
,
be
this
arm
if
death
meet
him
not
there
.
CONNAN
!
faith
Euran
,
this
night
shall
the
stranger
carry
thy
sister
away
.
My
sword
shall
meet
him
,
replies
Con
nan
,
and
he
shall
lie
low
on
earth
.
THE
friends
met
by
night
,
and
they
sought
.
Blood
and
sweat
ran
down
their
limbs
as
water
on
the
mossy
rock
.
Connan
falls
;
and
cries
,
O
Durstan
,
be
favourable
to
Rivine
!
—
And
is
it
my
friend
,
cries
Ronnan
,
I
have
slain
?
O
Connan
!
I
knew
thee
not
.
HE
went
,
and
he
fought
with
Dur
stan
.
Day
began
to
rise
on
the
com
bat
,
when
fainting
they
fell
,
and
expi
red
.
Rivine
came
out
with
the
morn
;
and
—
O
what
detains
my
Ronnan
!
—
She
saw
him
lying
pale
in
his
blood
;
and
her
brother
lying
pale
by
his
side
.
What
could
she
say
?
what
could
she
do
?
her
complaints
were
many
and
vain
.
She
opened
this
grave
for
the
warri
ours
;
and
fell
into
it
herself
,
before
it
was
closed
;
like
the
sun
snatched
away
in
a
storm
.
THOU
hast
heard
this
tale
of
grief
,
O
fair
daughter
of
the
isles
!
Rivine
was
fair
as
thyself
:
shed
on
her
grave
a
tear
.