Explore "The Delights of Finn Mac Coul. from the Ancient Irish" by George Borrow on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Finn Mac Coul 'mongst his joys did number / To hark to the boom of the dusky hills; / By the wild cascade to be lull'd to slumber, / Which Cuan Na Seilg with its roaring fills.
He lov'd the noise when storms were blowing, / And billows with billows fought furiously, / Of Magh Maom's kine the ceaseless lowing, / And deep from the glen the calves' feeble cry; / The noise of the chase from Slieve Crott pealing, / The hum from the bushes Slieve Cua below, / The voice of the gull o'er the breakers wheeling, / The vulture's scream, over the sea flying slow; / The mariners' song from the distant haven, / The strain from the hill of the pack so free, / From Cnuic Nan Gall the croak of the raven, / The voice from Slieve Mis of the streamlets three; / Young Oscar's voice, to the chase proceeding, / The howl of the dogs, of the deer in quest; / But to recline where the cattle were feeding / That was the delight which pleas'd him best.
Delighted was Oscar, the generous-hearted, / To listen when shields rang under the blow: / But nothing to him such delight imparted / As fighting with heroes and laying them low.