The Land Of Hearts Desire

The Land Of Heart's Desire

Project Gutenberg's The Land Of Heart's Desire, by William Butler
Yeats #2 in our series by William Butler Yeats
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Title: The Land Of Heart's Desire
Author: William Butler Yeats
Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5168] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on May 27,

2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAND
OF HEART'S DESIRE ***

Produced by Marjorie Fulton

THE LAND OF HEART'S DESIRE BY W. B. YEATS
1912
First Edition ............................ 1894 Second Edition (in "Poems" by W.
B. Yeats) 1895 Third Edition ,, ,, 1899 Fourth Edition ,, ,, 1901 Fifth
Edition ,, ,, 1904 Sixth Edition ,, ,, 1908 Seventh Edition
(revised) ................ 1912
(All rights reserved.)
To FLORENCE FARR

THE LAND OF HEART'S DESIRE
O Rose, thou art sick. WILLIAM BLAKE

MAURTEEN BRUIN BRIDGET BRUIN SHAWN BRUIN MARY
BRUIN FATHER HART A FAERY CHILD

The Scene is laid in the Barony of Kilmacowen, in the County of Sligo,
and at a remote time.
THE LAND OF HEART'S DESIRE
SCENE.--A room with a hearth on the floor in the middle of a deep
alcove to the Right. There are benches in the alcove and a table; and a
crucifix on the wall. The alcove is full of a glow of light from the fire.
There is an open door facing the audience to the Left, and to the left of
this a bench. Through the door one can see the forest. It is night, but the
moon or a late sunset glimmers through the trees and carries the eye far
off into a vague, mysterious World.
MAURTEEN BRUIN, SHAWN BRUIN, and BRIDGET BRUIN sit in
the alcove at the table or about the fire. They are dressed in the costume
of some remote time, and near them sits an old priest, FATHER HART.
He may be dressed as a friar. There is food and drink upon the table.
MARY BRUIN stands by the door reading a book. If she looks up she
can see through the door into the wood.
BRIDGET. Because I bid her clean the pots for supper She took that
old book down out of the thatch; She has been doubled over it ever
since. We should be deafened by her groans and moans Had she to
work as some do, Father Hart; Get up at dawn like me and mend and
scour; Or ride abroad in the boisterous night like you, The pyx and
blessed bread under your arm.
SHAWN. Mother, you are too cross.
BRIDGET. You've married her, And fear to vex her and so take her
part.
MAURTEEN (to FATHER HART) It is but right that youth should
side with youth She quarrels with my wife a bit at times, And is too
deep just now in the old book But do not blame her greatly; she will
grow As quiet as a puff-ball in a tree When but the moons of marriage
dawn and die For half a score of times.

FATHER HART. Their hearts are wild, As be the hearts of birds, till
children come.
BRIDGET. She would not mind the kettle, milk the cow, Or even lay
the knives and spread the cloth.
SHAWN. Mother, if only--
MAURTEEN. Shawn, this is half empty; Go, bring up the best bottle
that we have.
FATHER HART. I never saw her read a book before, What can it be?
MAURTEEN (to SHAWN) What are you waiting for? You must not
shake it when you draw the cork it's precious wine, so take your time
about it.
(SHAWN goes.)
(To priest) There was a Spaniard wrecked at Ocris Head, When I was
young, and I have still some bottles. He cannot bear to hear her blamed;
the book Has lain up in the thatch these fifty years; My father told me
my