THE DRAGON

ACT I

PERSONS

The King

The Queen.

The Princess Nuala.

The Dall Glic (the blind wise man).

The Nurse.

The Prince of the Marshes.

Manus, King of Sorcha.

Fintan, The Astrologer.

Taig.

Sibby (TAIG’S MOTHER).

Gatekeeper.

Two Aunts of the Prince of the Marshes.

Foreign Men Bringing in Food.

The Dragon.

ACT I

Scene:  A room in the King’s house at Burren.  Large window at back with deep window seat.  Doors right and left.  A small table and some chairs.

Dall Glic:  (Coming in with tray, which he puts on table.  Goes back to door.) You can come in, King.  There is no one here.

King:  (Coming in.) That’s very good.  I was in dread the Queen might be in it.

Dall Glic:  It is a good thought I had bringing it in here, and she gone to give learning to the Princess.  She is not likely to come this side.  It would be a great pity to annoy her.

King:  (Hastily swallowing a mouthful.) Look out now the door and keep a good watch.  The time she will draw upon me is when I am eating my little bite.

Dall Glic:  I’ll do that.  What I wouldn’t see with my one eye, there’s no other would see with three.

King:  A month to-day since I wed with her, and well pleased I am to be back in my own place.  I give you word my teeth are rusting with the want of meat.  On the journey I got no fair play.  She wouldn’t be willing to see me nourish myself, unless maybe with the marrow bone of a wren.

Dall Glic:  Sure she lays down she is but thinking of the good of your health.

King:  Maybe so.  She is apt to be paying too much attention to what will be for mine and for the world’s good.  I kept my health fair enough, and the first wife not begrudging me my enough.  I don’t know what in the world led me not to stop as I was.

Dall Glic:  It is what you were saying, it was for the good of the Princess Nuala, and of yourself.

King:  That is what herself laid down.  It would be a great ease to my mind, she was saying, to have in the house with the young girl, a far-off cousin of the King of Alban, and that had been conversation woman in his Court.

Dall Glic:  So it might be too.  She is a great manager of people.

King:  She is that ...I think I hear her coming....  Throw a cloth over the plates.

Queen:  (Coming in.) I was in search of you.

King:  I thought you were in Nuala’s sunny parlour, learning her to play music and to go through books.