Three Wonder Plays Part 19

_Prince of Marshes: (Taking bag from his Aunt.)_ These three leaves from the Tree of Power that grows by the Well of Healing. Here they are now for you, tied with a thread of the wool of the sheep of the Land of Promise. There is power in them to bring one person only back to life.

_First Aunt_: Give them back to me! You have your own life to think of as well as any other one!

_Second Aunt_: Do not spend and squander that cure on any person but yourself!

_Prince of Marshes: (Giving the leaves.)_ And if I have given her my love that it is likely I will give to no other woman for ever, indeed and indeed, I would not ask her or wish her to wed with a very frightened man, and that is what I was a while ago. But you yourself have earned her, being brave.

_Ma.n.u.s: (Taking leaves.)_ I never will forget it to you. You will be a brave man yet.

_Prince of Marshes_: Give me in place of it your sword; for I am going my lone through the world for a twelvemonth and a day, till I will learn to fight with my own hand.

_(Ma.n.u.s gives him sword. He throws off cloak and outer coat and fastens it on.)_

_Nurse_: Stand back, now. Let the whole of ye stand back. _(She lays a leaf on the Princess's mouth and one on each of her hands.)_ I call on you by the power of the Seven Belts of the Heavens, of the Twelve Winds of the World, of the Three Waters of the Sea!

_(Princess stirs slightly.)_

_King_: That is a wonder of wonders! She is stirring!

_Ma.n.u.s_: Oh, my share of the world! Are you come back to me?

_Princess_: It was a hard fight he wrestled with.

...I thought I heard his voice.... Is he come from danger?

_Nurse_: He did. Here he is. He that saved you and that killed the Dragon, and that let on to be a serving boy, and he no less than one of the world's kings!

_Ma.n.u.s_: Here I am, my dear, beside you, to be your comrade and your company for ever.

_Princess_: You!...Yes, it is yourself. Forgive me. I am sorry that I spoke unkindly to you a while ago; I am ashamed that it failed me to know you to be a king.

(_She stands up, helped by Nurse_.)

_Ma.n.u.s_: It was my own fault and my folly.

What way could you know it? There is nothing to forgive.

_Princess_: But ...if I did not recognise you as a king ...anyway ...the time you dropped the eggs ...I was nearly certain that you were no cook!

(_They embrace_.)

_Queen_: There now I have everything brought about very well in the finis.h.!.+

(_A scream at door. Taig rushes in, followed by Sibby, in country dress. He kneels at the Queen's feet, holding on to her skirt_.)

_Sibby_: Bad luck and bad cess to you! Torment and vexation on you! (_Seizes him by back of neck and shakes him_.) You dirty little sc.u.m and leavings!

You puny shrimp you! You miserable ninth part of a man!

_Queen_: Is it King or the Dragon Killer he is letting on to be yet, or do you know what he is at all?

_Sibby_: It's myself knows that, and does know it! He being Taig the tailor, my own son and my misfortune, that stole away from me a while ago, bringing with him the grand clothes of that young champion (_points to Ma.n.u.s_) and his gold!

To borrow a team of horses from the plough he did, and to bring away the magistrate's coach! But I followed him! I came tracking him on the road!

Put off now those shoes that are too narrow for you, you red thief, you! For, believe me, you'll go facing home on shank's mare!

_Taig: (Whimpering.)_ It's a very unkind thing you to go screeching that out before the King, that will maybe strike my head off!

_Sibby_: Did ever you know of anyone making a quarrel in a whisper? To wed with the King's daughter, you would? To go vanquish the water-worm, you would? I'll engage you ran before you went anear him!

_Taig_: If I didn't I'd be tore with his claws and scorched with his fiery breath. It is likely I'd be going home dead!

_Sibby_: Strip off now that cloak and that body-coat and come along with me, or I'll make split marrow of you! What call have you to a suit that is worth more than the whole of the County Mayo? You're tricky and too much tricks in you, and you were born for tricks! It would be right you to be turned into the shape of a limping foxy cat!

_Taig: (Weeping as he takes off clothes.)_ Sure I thought it no harm to try to go better myself.

_Prince of Marshes: (Giving his cloak and coat.)_ Here, I bestow these to you. If you were a while ago a tailor among kings, from this out you will be a king among tailors.

_Sibby: (Curtseying.)_ Well, then, my thousand blessings on you! He'll be as proud as the world of that. Now, Taig, you'll be as dressed up as the

best of them! Come on now to Oughtmana, as it is long till you'll quit it.

_(They go towards door.)_

_Dragon: (Putting his head in at window.)_ Ma.n.u.s, King of Sorcha, I am starved with the want of food.

Give me a bit to eat.

_Fintan_: He is not put down! He will devour the whole of us! I'd sooner face a bullet and ten guns!

_Dragon_: It is not mannerly to eat without being invited. Is it any harm to ask where will I find a meal will suit me?

_Princess_: Oh, does he ask to make a meal of me, after all?

_Dragon_: I am hungry and dancing with the hunger! It was you, Ma.n.u.s, stopped me from the one meal. Let you set before me another.

_King_: There is reason in that. Drive up now for him a bullock from the meadow.

_Dragon_: Ma.n.u.s, it is not bullocks I am craving, since the time you changed the heart within me for the heart of a little squirrel of the wood.

_Ma.n.u.s: (Taking a cocoa-nut from table.)_ Here is a nut from the island of Lanka, that is called Adam's Paradise. Milk there is in it, and a kernel as white as snow.

_(He throws it out. Dragon is heard crunching.)_

_Dragon: (Putting head in again.)_ More! Give me more of them! Give them out to me by the dozen and by the score!

_Ma.n.u.s_: You must go seek them in the east of the world, where you can gather them in bushels on the strand.

_Dragon_: So I will go there! I'll make no delay!

I give you my word, I'd sooner one of them than to be cracking the skulls of kings' daughters, and the blood running down my jaws. Blood! Ugh!

It would disgust me! I'm in dread it would cause vomiting. That and to have the plaits of hair tickling and tormenting my gullet!

_Princess_: (_Claps hands_.) That is good hearing, and a great change of heart.