The Song of Deirdra

Farewell, grey Albyn, much loved land,
I ne’er shall see thy hills again;
Upon those hills I oft would stand
And view the chase sweep o’er the plain.

’Twas pleasant from their tops, I ween,
To see the stag that bounding ran;
And all the rout of hunters keen,
The sons of Usna in the van.

The chiefs of Albyn feasted high,
Amidst them Usna’s children shone;
And Nasa kissed in secrecy
The daughter fair of high Dundron.

To her a milk-white doe he sent,
With little fawn that frisked and played,
And once to visit her he went,
As home from Inverness he strayed.

The news was scarcely brought to me
When jealous rage inflamed my mind;
I took my boat and rushed to sea,
For death, for speedy death, inclined.

But swiftly swimming at my stern
Came Ainlie bold and Ardan tall;
Those faithful striplings made me turn
And brought me back to Nasa’s hall.

Then thrice he swore upon his arms,
His burnished arms, the foeman’s bane,
That he would never wake alarms
In this fond breast of mine again.

Dundron’s fair daughter also swore,
And called to witness earth and sky,
That since his love for her was o’er
A maiden she would live and die.

Ah, did she know that slain in fight,
He wets with gore the Irish hill,
How great would be her moan this night,
But greater far would mine be still.