“ Desperate the fight, and the fight did last
’Till the brave black dog in Bran’s gripe died.
p. 14“O sure was I,” did Ossian cry,
From the pillar of the dogs with stern delight,
“There was no dog in the Finn country
Could inflict upon Bran the mortal bite.
“O Bran was a stag-hound Morong bred,
And possess’d each canine guile and sleight;
There was no dog in leash e’er led
Could consign our dog to the Western height.
“There’s many a damsel, heavenly bright,
With azure eye and yellow hair,
In the land of the son of King Torc this night
Would be proud with my dog her supper to share.” ”

“ But would match his dog ’gainst the best of ours.
We brought ’gainst that of the stranger youth
The very best dogs within our bounds;
But the stranger dog had a desperate tooth,
And quickly despatch’d for us fifty hounds.
A strange fight this, the great Finn said,
As he turn’d his face towards his clan;
Then his face with rage grey fiery red,
And he struck with his fist his good dog Bran.
Bran look’d at his master with much surprise,
That his master should strike him surprise he felt—
“I could hew from the shoulder the hand,” Finn cries,
“With which my dog that blow I dealt.” ”

“ No King on earth can vie in worth
With Hacon the Good of Norroway.
p. 11BRAN AND THE BLACK DOG
The day we went to the hills to chase
Of dogs we had a brave company;
There heard we the songs of the feather’d race,
The blare of the elk, and the roebuck’s cry.
In the hills we had no common sport,
With our dogs and our arms many deer we slew ”