The Land of Hearts Desire | Page 4

BRUIN.
What a small bite; The milk is ready now;?What a small sip!
THE CHILD.
Put on my shoes, old mother,?For I would like to dance now I have dined.?The reeds are dancing by Coolaney lake,?And I would like to dance until the reeds?And the loud wind, the white wave on the shore,?And all the stars have danced themselves to sleep.
[BRIDGET _having put on her shoes, she gets off the old man's knees and 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 BRUIN.
I have begun to be afraid again!
THE CHILD.
Hide it away!
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
That would be wickedness!
BRIDGET BRUIN.
That would be sacrilege!
THE CHILD
The tortured thing!?Hide it away.
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
Her parents are to blame.
FATHER HART.
That is the image of the Son of God.
[The_ CHILD puts her arm round his neck lovingly and kisses him.
THE CHILD.
Hide it away! Hide it away!
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
No! no!
FATHER HART.
Because you are so young and little a child?I will go take it down.
THE CHILD.
Hide it away,?And cover it out of sight and out of mind.
FATHER HART (_takes it down and carries it towards the inner room)._
Since you have come into this barony?I will instruct you in our blessed faith:?Being a clever child you will soon learn.
(_To the others.)
We must be tender with all budding things,?Our Maker let no thought of Calvary?Trouble the morning stars in their first song.
[Puts the crucifix in the inner room.
THE CHILD.
O, what a nice, smooth floor to dance upon!?The wind is blowing on the waving reeds,?The wind is blowing on the heart of man.
[She dances, swaying about like the reeds.
MAIRE (to SHAWN BRUIN).
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--?Invisible pipes giving her feet the time.
SHAWN BRUIN.
I heard no step but hers.
MAIRE BRUIN.
Look to the bolt!?Because the unholy powers are abroad.
MAURTEEN BRUIN (to the CHILD).
Come over here, and if you promise me?Not to talk wickedly of holy things?I'll give you something.
THE CHILD.
Bring it me, old father!
[MAURTEEN BRUIN goes into the next room.
FATHER HART.
I will have queen cakes when you come to me!
[MAURTEEN BRUIN returns and lays a piece of money on the table. The CHILD makes a gesture of refusal.
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
It will buy lots of toys; see how it glitters!
THE CHILD.
Come, tell me, do you love me?
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
I love you!
THE CHILD.
Ah! but you love this fireside!
FATHER HART.
I love you.
THE CHILD.
But you love Him above.
BRIDGET BRUIN.
She is blaspheming.
THE CHILD (to MAIRE).
And do you likewise love me?
MAIRE BRUIN.
I don't know.
THE CHILD.
You love that great tall fellow over there:?Yet I could make you ride upon the winds,?Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,?And dance upon the mountains like a flame!
MAIRE BRUIN.
Queen of the Angels and kind Saints defend us!?Some dreadful fate has fallen: before she came?The wind cried out and took the primroses.?And I gave milk and fire, and when she came?She made you hide the blessed crucifix;?She wears, too, the green jacket and red cap?Of the unholy creatures of the Raths.
FATHER HART.
You fear because of her wild, pretty prates;?She knows no better.
(To the CHILD) Child, how old are you?
THE CHILD.
My own dear people live a long, long time,?So I am young; but measure by your years?And I am older than the eagle cock?Who blinks and blinks on Ballydawley Hill,?And he's the oldest thing under the moon.?At times I merely care to dance and dance--?At times grow wiser than the eagle cock.
FATHER HART.
What are you?
THE CHILD.
I am of the faery people.?I sent my messengers for milk and fire,?And then I heard one call to me and came.
[They all except_ MAIRE BRUIN gather about the priest for protection._ MAIRE BRUIN _stays on the settle as if in a trance of terror. The_ CHILD _takes primroses from the great bowl and begins to strew them between herself and the priest and about_ MAIRE BRUIN. During the following dialogue_ SHAWN BRUIN goes more than once to the brink of the primroses, but shrinks back to the others timidly._
FATHER HART.
I will confront this mighty spirit alone.
[They cling to him and hold him back.
THE CHILD (_while she strews the primroses.)
No one whose heart is heavy with human tears?Can cross these little cressets of the wood.
FATHER HART.
Be not afraid, the Father is with us,?And all the nine angelic hierarchies,?The Holy Martyrs and the Innocents,?The adoring Magi in their coats of mail,?And He who died and rose on the third day,?And Mary with her seven times wounded heart.
[The_ CHILD ceases strewing the primroses, and kneels upon the settle beside_ MAIRE and puts her arms about her neck.
Cry daughter to the Angels and the Saints.
THE CHILD.
You shall go with me, newly-married bride,?And gaze upon a merrier multitude:?White-armed Nuala and Ardroe the Wise,?Feacra of the hurtling