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.)

BLIND MAN.