Three Wonder Plays Part 10

_Queen_: I myself will go and give you instructions what way to use the kitchen.

_Ma.n.u.s_: Not at all! What I do I'd as lief do in your own royal parlour! _(Blows whistle; two dark-skinned men come in with vessels.)_ Give me here those pots and pans!

_Queen_: What now is about to take place?

_Dall Glic_: I not to be blind, I would say those to be very foreign-looking men.

_King_: It would seem as if the world was grown to be very queer.

_Queen_: So it is, and the mastery being given to a cook.

_Ma.n.u.s_: So it should be too! It is the King of Shades and Shadows would have rule over the world if it wasn't for the cooks!

_King_: There's some sense in that now.

_(Strange men are moving and arranging baskets and vessels.)_

_Ma.n.u.s_: There was respect for cooks in the early days of the world. What way did the Sons of Tuireann get their death but going questing after a cooking spit at the bidding of Lugh of the Long Hand! And if a spit was worthy of the death of heroes, what should the man be worth that is skilled in turning it? What is the difference between man and beast? Beast and bird devour what they find and have no power to change it.

But we are Druids of those mysteries, having magic and virtue to turn hard grain to tender cakes, and the very skin of a grunting pig to crackling causing quarrels among champions, and it singing upon the coals. A cook! If I am I am not without good generations before me! Who was the first old father of us, roasting and reddening the fruits of the earth from hard to soft, from bitter to kind, till they are fit for a lady's platter? What is it leaves us in the hard cold of Christmas but the robbery from earth of warmth for the kitchen fire of _(takes off cap)_ the first and foremost of all master cooks--the Sun!

_Princess_: You are surely not ashamed of your trade!

_Ma.n.u.s_: To work now, to work. I'll engage to turn out a dinner fit for Pharaoh of Egypt or Pharamond King of the Franks! Here, Queen, is a silver-breast phoenix--draw out the feathers--they are pure silver--fair and clean. _(Queen plucks eagerly.)_ King, take your golden sceptre and stir this pot.

_(Gives him one.)_

_King: (Interested.)_ What now is in it?

_Ma.n.u.s_: A broth that will rise over the side and be consumed and split if you stop stirring it for one minute only! _(King stirs furiously.)_ Princess _(She is looking on and he goes over to her)_, there are honey cakes to roll out, but I will not ask you to do it in dread that you might spoil the whiteness ...

_Princess_: I have no mind to do it.

_Ma.n.u.s_: Of the flour!

_Princess_: Give them here.

_(Rolls them out indignantly.)_

_Ma.n.u.s_: That is right. Take care, King, would the froth swell over the brim.

_Princess_: It seems to me you are doing but little yourself.

_Ma.n.u.s_: I will turn now and ... boil these eggs.

_(Takes some on a plate; they roll off.)_

_Princess_: You have broken them.

_Ma.n.u.s: (Disconcerted.)_ It was to show you a good trick, how to make them sit up on the narrow end.

_Princess_: That is an old trick in the world.

_Ma.n.u.s_: Every trick is an old one, but with a change of players, a change of dress, it comes out as new as before. Princess _(speaks low)_, I have a message to give you and a pardon to ask.

_Princess_: Give me out the message.

_Ma.n.u.s_: Take courage and keep courage through this day. Do not let your heart fail. There is help beside you.

_Princess_: It has been a troublesome day indeed.

But there is a worse one and a great danger before me in the far away.

_Ma.n.u.s_: That danger will come to-day, the message said in the dream. Princess, I have a pardon to ask you. I have been playing vanities.

I think I have wronged you doing this. It was surely through no want of respect.

_Gatekeeper: (Coming in.)_ There is word come from Ballyvelehan there is a coach and horses facing for this place over from Oughtmana.

_Queen_: Who would that be?

_Gatekeeper_: Up on the hill a woman was, brought word it must be some high gentleman. She could see all colours in the coach, and flowers on the horse's heads.

_Goes out_.)

_Dall Glic_: That is good hearing. I was in dread some man we would have no welcome for would be the first to come in this day.

_Queen_: Not a fear of it. I had orders given to the Gateman who he would and would not keep out. I did that the very minute after the King making his proclamation and his law.

_King_: Pup, pup. You need not be drawing that down.

_Queen_: It is well you have myself to care you and to turn all to good. I gave orders to the Gateman, I say, no one to be let in to the door unless carriage company, no other ones, even if they should wipe their feet upon the mat. I notched that in his mind, telling him the King was after promising the Princess Nu in marriage to the first man that would come into the house.

_Ma.n.u.s_: The King gave out that word?

_Queen_: I am after saying that he did.

_Dall Glic_: Come along, lad. Don't be putting ears on yourself.

_Ma.n.u.s_: I ask the King did he give out that promise as the Queen says?

_King_: I have but a poor memory.

_Nurse_: The King did say it within the hour, and swore to it by the oath of his people, taking contracts of the sun and moon of the air!

_Dall Glic_: What is it to you if he did? Come on, now.

_Ma.n.u.s_: No. This is a matter that concerns myself.

_Queen_: How do you make that out?

_Ma.n.u.s_: You, that called me in, know well that I was the first to come into the house.