BLIND MAN. Boys, I am listening to the carts coming home from
the fair. Let you go out, and stop the people; tell them they must come
in: there is a wedding-dance here this evening.
BOY. The people are going home. They wouldn't stop for us.
BLIND MAN. Tell them to come in; and there will be as fine a
dance as ever they saw. But they must all give a present to the man and
woman that are newly married.
ANOTHER BOY. Why would they come in? They can have a dance of
their own at any time. There is a piper in the big town.
BLIND MAN. Say to them that _I myself_ tell them to come in;
and to bring every one a present to the newly-married woman.
BOY. And who are you yourself?
BLIND MAN. Tell them it is Raftery the poet is here, and that
is calling to them.
(_The boys run out, tumbling over one another._)
MARTIN. Are you Raftery, the great poet I heard talk of since I
was born! (_taking his hand_). Seven hundred thousand welcomes before
you; and it is a great honour to us you to be here.
MARY. Raftery the poet! Now there is luck on us! The first man
that brought us his blessing, and that eat food in my own house, he to
be Raftery the poet! And I hearing the other day you were sick and near
your death. And I see no sign of sickness on you now.
BLIND MAN. I am well, I am well now, the Lord be praised for
it.
MARTIN. I heard talk of you as often as there are fingers on my
hands, and toes on my feet. But indeed I never thought to have the luck
of seeing you.
MARY. And it is you that made 'County Mayo,' and the
'Repentance,' and 'The Weaver,' and the 'Shining Flower.' It is often I
thought there should be no woman in the world so proud as Mary Hynes,
with the way you praised her.
BLIND MAN. O my poor Mary Hynes, without luck! (_They hear the
wheels of a cart outside the house, and an old farmer comes in, a frieze
coat on him._)
OLD FARMER. God save you, Martin; and is this your wife? God be
with you, woman of the house. And, O Raftery, seven hundred thousand
welcomes before you to this country. I would sooner see you than King
George. When they told me you were here, I said to myself I would not go
past without seeing you, if I didn't get home till morning.
BLIND MAN. But didn't you get my message?
OLD FARMER. What message is that?
BLIND MAN. Didn't they tell you to bring a present to the
new-married woman and her husband. What have you got for them?
OLD FARMER. Wait till I see; I have something in the cart. (_He
goes out._)
MARTIN. O Raftery, you see now what a great name you have here.
(_Old farmer comes in again_ _with a bag of meal on his shoulders. He
throws it on the floor._)
OLD FARMER. Four bags of meal I was bringing from the mill; and
there is one of them for the woman of the house.
MARY. A thousand thanks to God and you. (MARTIN
_carries the bag to other side of table._)
BLIND MAN. Now don't forget the fiddler. (_He takes a plate and
holds it out._)
OLD FARMER. I'll not break my word, Raftery, the first time you
came to this country. There is two shillings for you in the plate. (_He
throws the money into it._)