es of my oaks! Walk through
broken clouds, O moon! show thy pale face at intervals; bring to my mind
the night when all my children fell, when Arindal the mighty fell--when
Daura the lovely failed. Daura, my daughter, thou wert fair, fair as
the moon on Fura, white as the driven snow, sweet as the breathing gale.
Arindal, thy bow was strong, thy spear was swift on the field, thy look
was like mist on the wave, thy shield a red cloud in a storm! Armar,
renowned in war, came and sought Daura's love. He was not long refused:
fair was the hope of their friends.
"Erath, son of Odgal, repined: his brother had been slain by Armar. He
came disguised like a son of the sea: fair was his cliff on the wave,
white his locks of age, calm his serious brow. Fairest of women, he
said, lovely daughter of Armin! a rock not distant in the sea bears
a tree on its side; red shines the fruit afar. There Armar waits for
Daura. I come to carry his love! she went she called on Armar. Nought
answered, but the son of the rock. Armar, my love, my love! why
tormentest thou me with fear? Hear, son of Arnart, hear! it is Daura who
calleth thee. Erath, the traitor, fled laughing to the land. She lifted
up her voice--she called for her brother and her father. Arindal! Armin!
none to relieve you, Daura.
"Her voice came over the sea. Arindal, my son, descended from the hill,
rough in the spoils of the chase. His arrows rattled by his side; his
bow was in his hand, five dark-gray dogs attended his steps. He saw
fierce Erath on the shore; he seized and bound him to an oak. Thick wind
the thongs of the hide around his limbs; he loads the winds with his
groans. Arindal ascends the deep in his boat to bring Daura to land.
Armar came in his wrath, and let fly the gray-feathered shaft. It sung,
it sunk in thy heart, O Arindal, my son! for Erath the traitor thou
diest. The oar is stopped at once: he panted on the rock, and expired.
What is thy grief, O Daura, when round thy feet is poured thy brother's
blood. The boat is broken in twain. Armar plunges into the sea to rescue
his Daura, or die. Sudden a blast from a hill came over the waves; he
sank, and he rose no more.
"Alone, on the sea-beat rock, my daughter was heard to complain;
frequent and loud were her cries. What could her father do? All night I
stood on the shore: I saw her by the faint beam of the moon. All night
I heard her cries. Loud was the wind; the rain beat hard on the hill.
Before morning
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