The Land Of Hearts Desire | Page 3

the silvery light. MARY BRUIN goes to door and
stands in it for a moment. MAURTEEN BRUIN is busy filling
FATHER HART's plate. BRIDGET BRUIN stirs the fire.)
MARY (coming to table) There's somebody out there that beckoned me
And raised her hand as though it held a cup, And she was drinking
from it, so it may be That she is thirsty.
(She takes milk from the table and carries it to the door.)
FATHER HART. That will be the child That you would have it was no
child at all.
BRIDGET. And maybe, Father, what he said was true; For there is not
another night in the year So wicked as to-night.
MAURTEEN. Nothing can harm us While the good Father's
underneath our roof.
MARY. A little queer old woman dressed in green.
BRIDGET. The good people beg for milk and fire Upon May Eve--woe
to the house that gives, For they have power upon it for a year.
MAURTEEN. Hush, woman, hush!
BRIDGET. She's given milk away. I knew she would bring evil on the
house.
MAURTEEN. Who was it?
MARY. Both the tongue and face were strange.
MAURTEEN. Some strangers came last week to Clover Hill; She must
be one of them.
BRIDGET. I am afraid.
FATHER HART. The Cross will keep all evil from the house While it

hangs there.
MAURTEEN. Come, sit beside me, colleen, And put away your
dreams of discontent, For I would have you light up my last days, Like
the good glow of the turf; and when I die You'll be the wealthiest
hereabout, for, colleen, I have a stocking full of yellow guineas Hidden
away where nobody can find it.
BRIDGET. You are the fool of every pretty face, And I must spare and
pinch that my son's wife May have all kinds of ribbons for her head.
MAURTEEN. Do not be cross; she is a right good girl! The butter is by
your elbow, Father Hart. My colleen, have not Fate and Time and
Change Done well for me and for old Bridget there? We have a
hundred acres of good land, And sit beside each other at the fire. I have
this reverend Father for my friend, I look upon your face and my son's
face-- We've put his plate by yours--and here he comes, And brings
with him the only thing we have lacked, Abundance of good wine.
(SHAWN comes in.)
Stir Up the fire, And put new turf upon it till it blaze; To watch the
turf-smoke coiling from the fire, And feel content and wisdom in your
heart, This is the best of life; when we are young We long to tread a
way none trod before, But find the excellent old way through love, And
through the care of children, to the hour For bidding Fate and Time and
Change goodbye.
(MARY takes a sod of turf from the fire and goes out through the door.
SHAWN follows her and meets her coming in.)
SHAWN. What is it draws you to the chill o' the wood? There is a light
among the stems of the trees That makes one shiver.
MARY. A little queer old man Made me a sign to show he wanted fire
To light his pipe.
BRIDGET. You've given milk and fire Upon the unluckiest night of the

year and brought, For all you know, evil upon the house. Before you
married you were idle and fine And went about with ribbons on your
head; And now--no, Father, I will speak my mind She is not a fitting
wife for any man--
SHAWN. Be quiet, Mother!
MAURTEEN. You are much too cross.
MARY. What do I care if I have given this house, Where I must hear
all day a bitter tongue, Into the power of faeries
BRIDGET. You know well How calling the good people by that name,
Or talking of them over much at all, May bring all kinds of evil on the
house.
MARY. Come, faeries, take me out of this dull house! Let me have all
the freedom I have lost; Work when I will and idle when I will! Faeries,
come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the
wind, Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, And dance upon the
mountains like a flame.
FATHER HART. You cannot know the meaning of your words.
MARY. Father, I am right weary of four tongues: A tongue that is too
crafty and too wise, A tongue that is too godly and too grave, A tongue
that is more bitter than the tide, And a kind tongue too full of drowsy
love, Of drowsy love and my captivity.
(SHAWN BRUIN leads her to a seat at the left of the door.)