Page:Plays in Prose and Verse (1922).djvu/143

little you’ll care about the cooking-pot when you have asked Cuchulain that...

[blind man goes out by side door.

fool. I'll ask him. Cuchulain will know. He was in Aoife’s country. [Goes up stage.] I'll ask him. [Turns and goes down stage.] But, no, I won’t ask him, I would be afraid. [Going up again.] Yes, I will ask him. What harm in asking? The Blind Man said I was to ask him. [Going down.] No, no. I'll not ask him. He might kill me. I have but killed hens and geese and pigs. He has killed kings. [Goes up again almost to big door.] Who says I’m afraid? I’m not afraid. I’m no coward. I'll ask him. No, no, Cuchulain, I’m not going to ask you.

He has killed kings,
Kings and the sons of kings,
Dragons out of the water,
And witches out of the air,
Banachas and Bonachas and people of the woods.

[fool goes out by side door, the last words being heard outside. cuchulain and conchubar enter through the big door at the back. While they are still outside, cuchulain’s voice is heard raised in anger. He is a dark man, something over forty years of age. conchubar is much older and carries a long staff, elaborately carved or with an elaborate gold handle.