All that bewilderment of light and freedom,
If you would have it.
MARY
I would take the world
And break it into pieces in my hands
To see you smile watching it crumble away.
SHAWN
Then I would mould a world of fire and dew,
With no one bitter, grave or over wise,
And nothing marred or old to do you wrong,
And crowd the enraptured quiet of the sky
With candles burning to your lonely face.
MARY
Your looks are all the candles that I need.
SHAWN
Once a fly dancing in a beam of the sun,
Or the light wind blowing out of the dawn,
Could fill your heart with dreams none other knew,
But now the indissoluble sacrament
Has mixed your heart that was most proud and cold
With my warm heart for ever; the sun and moon
Must fade and heaven be rolled up like a scroll;
But your white spirit still walk by my spirit.
(A Voice singing in the wood.)
MAURTEEN
There's some one singing. Why, it's but a child.
It sang, "The lonely of heart is withered away."
A strange song for a child, but she sings sweetly.
Listen, listen!
(Goes to door.)
MARY
O, cling close to me,
Because I have said wicked things to-night.
THE VOICE
The wind blows out of the gates of the day,
The wind blows over the lonely of heart,
And the lonely of heart is withered away.
While the faeries dance in a place apart,
Shaking their milk-white feet in a ring,
Tossing their milk-white arms in the air;
For they hear the wind laugh and murmur and sing
Of a land where even the old are fair,
And even the wise are merry of tongue;
But I heard a reed of Coolaney say,
"When the wind has laughed and murmured and sung
The lonely of heart is withered away!"
MAURTEEN
Being happy, I would have all others happy,
So I will bring her in out of the cold.
(He brings in the faery child.)
THE CHILD
I tire of winds and waters and pale lights.
MAURTEEN
And that's no wonder, for when night has fallen
The wood's a cold and a bewildering place,
But you are welcome here.
THE CHILD
I am welcome here.
For when I tire of this warm little house
There is one here that must away, away.
MAURTEEN
O, listen to her dreamy and strange talk.
Are you not cold?
THE CHILD
I will crouch down beside you,
For I have run a long, long way this night.
BRIDGET
You have a comely shape.
MAURTEEN
Your hair is wet.
BRIDGET
I'll warm your chilly feet.
MAURTEEN
You have come indeed
A long, long way—for I have never seen
Your pretty face—and must be tired and hungry,
Here is some bread and wine.
THE CHILD
The wine is bitter.
Old mother, have you no sweet food for me?
BRIDGET
I have some honey.
(She goes into the next room.)
MAURTEEN
You have coaxing ways,
The mother was quite cross before you came.
(BRIDGET returns with the honey and fills a porringer with milk.)
BRIDGET
She is the child of gentle people; look
At her white hands and at her pretty dress.
I've brought you some new milk, but wait a while
And I will put it to the fire to warm,
For things well fitted for poor folk like us
Would never please a high-born child like you.
THE CHILD
From dawn, when you must blow the fire ablaze,
You work your fingers to the bone, old mother.
The young may lie in bed and dream and hope,
But you must work your fingers to the bone
Because your heart is old.
BRIDGET
The young are idle.
THE CHILD
Your memories have made you wise, old father;
The young must sigh through many a dream and hope,
But you are wise because your heart is old.
(BRIDGET gives her more bread and honey.)
MAURTEEN
O, who would think to find so young a girl
Loving old age and wisdom?
THE CHILD
No more, mother.
MAURTEEN
What a small bite! The milk is ready now. (Hands it to her.) What a small sip!
THE CHILD
Put on my shoes, old mother.
Now I would like to dance now I have eaten,
The reeds are dancing by Coolaney lake,
And I would like to dance until the reeds
And the white waves have danced themselves asleep.
(BRIDGET puts on the shoes, and the CHILD is about to dance, but suddenly sees the crucifix and shrieks and covers her eyes.)
What is that ugly thing on the black cross?
FATHER HART
You cannot know how naughty your words are!
That is our Blessed Lord.
THE CHILD
Hide it away!
BRIDGET
I have begun to be afraid again.
THE CHILD
Hide it away!
MAURTEEN
That would be wickedness!
BRIDGET
That would be sacrilege!
THE CHILD
The tortured thing!
Hide it away!
MAURTEEN
Her parents are to blame.
FATHER HART
That is the image of the Son of God.
THE CHILD (caressing him)
Hide it away, hide it away!
MAURTEEN
No, no.
FATHER HART
Because you are so young and like a bird,
That must take fright at every stir of the leaves,
I will go take it down.
THE CHILD
Hide it away!
And cover it out of sight and out of mind!
(FATHER HART takes crucifix from wall and carries it towards inner room.)
FATHER HART
Since you have come into this barony,
I will instruct you in our blessed faith;
And being so keen witted you'll soon learn.
(To the others.)
We must be tender to all budding things,
Our Maker let no thought of Calvary
Trouble the morning stars in their first song.
(Puts crucifix in inner room.)
THE CHILD
Here is level ground for dancing; I will dance.
(Sings.)
"The wind blows out of the gates of the day,
The wind blows over the lonely of heart,
And the lonely of heart is withered away."
(She dances.)
MARY (to SHAWN)
Just now when she came near I thought I heard
Other small steps beating upon the floor,
And a faint music blowing in the wind,