This is a man has love to God,
    Opening his hand to give out food;
    Better a small house filled with wheat,
    Than a big house that’s bare of meat.

OLD FARMER. Maisead, long life to you, Raftery.

BLIND MAN.  Are you there, boy?

BOY.  I am.

BLIND MAN.  I hear more wheels coming.  Go out, and tell the people Raftery will let no person come in here without a present for the woman of the house.

BOY.  I am going. (He goes out.)

OLD FARMER.  They say there was not the like of you for a poet in Connacht these hundred years back.

(A middle-aged woman comes in, a pound of tea and a parcel of sugar in her hand.)

WOMAN.  God save all here!  I heard Raftery the poet was in it; and I brought this little present to the woman of the house. (Puts them into MARY’S hands.) I would sooner see Raftery than be out there in the cart.

BLIND MAN.  Don’t forget the fiddler, O right woman.

WOMAN.  And are you Raftery?

BLIND MAN.

    I am Raftery the poet,
      Full of gentleness and love;
    With eyes without light,
      With quietness, without misery.

WOMAN.  Good the man.

BLIND MAN.

    Quick, quick, quick, for no man
    Need speak twice to a handy woman;
    I’ll praise you when I hear the clatter
    Of your shilling on my platter.

(A young man comes in with a side of bacon in his arms, and stands waiting.)

WOMAN.  Indeed, I would not begrudge it to you if it was a piece of gold I had (puts shilling in plate).  The ‘Repentance’ you made is at the end of my fingers.  Here’s another customer for you now. (The young man comes forward, and gives the bacon to MARTIN, who puts it with the meal.)

MARY.  I thank you kindly.  Oh, it’s like the miracle worked for Saint Colman, sending him his dinner in the bare hills!

BLIND MAN.

    May that young man with yellow hair
    Find yellow money everywhere!

FAIR YOUNG MAN.  I heard the world and his wife were stopping at the door to give a welcome to Raftery, and I thought I would not be behindhand.  And here is something for the fiddler (puts money in the plate).  I would sooner see that fiddler than any other fiddler in the world.

BLIND MAN.

    May that young man with yellow hair
    Buy cheap, sell dear, in every fair.

FAIR YOUNG MAN (to MARTIN).  How does he know I have yellow hair and he blind?  How does he know that?

MARTIN.  Hush, my head is going round with the wonder is on me.

MARY.  No wonder at all in that.  Maybe it is dreaming we all are.

(A grey-haired man and two girls come in.)

GREY-HAIRED MAN (laying down a sack).  The blessing of God here!  I heard Raftery was here in the wedding-house, and that he would let no one in without a present.  There was nothing in the cart with us but a sack of potatoes, and there it is for you, ma’am.