MISER.  God save all here!  Oh, is that Raftery?  Ho, ho!  God save you, Raftery, and a hundred thousand welcomes before you to this country.  There is pride on us all to see you.  There is gladness on the whole country, you to be here in our midst.  If you will believe me, neighbours, I saw with my own eyes the bush Raftery put his curse on; and as sure as I’m living, it was withered away.  There is nothing of it but a couple of old twigs now.

BLIND MAN.

    I’ve heard a voice like his before,
    And liked some little voice the more;
    I’d sooner have, if I’d my choice,
    A big heart and a small voice.

MISER.  Ho! ho!  Raftery, making poems as usual.  Well, there is great joy on us, indeed, to see you in our midst.

BLIND MAN.  What is the present you have brought to the new-married woman?

MISER.  What is the present I brought?  O maisead! the times are too bad on a poor man.  I brought a few fleeces of wool I had to the market to-day, and I couldn’t sell it; I had to bring it home again.  And calves I had there, I couldn’t get any buyer for at all.  There is misfortune on these times.

BLIND MAN.  Every person that came in brought his own present with him.  There is the new-married woman, and let you put down a good present.

MISER.  O maisead, much good may it do her! (He takes out of his pocket a small parcel of snuff; takes a piece of paper from the floor, and pours into it, slowly and carefully, a little of the snuff, and puts it on the table.)

BLIND MAN.

    Look at the gifts of every kind
    Were given with a willing mind;
    After all this, it’s not enough
    From the man of cows—­a pinch of snuff!

OLD FARMER. Maisead, long life to you, Raftery; that your tongue may never lose its edge.  That is a man of cows certainly; I myself am a man of sheep.

BLIND MAN.  A bag of meal from the man of sheep.

FAIR YOUNG MAN.  And I am a man of pigs.

BLIND MAN.  A side of meat from the man of pigs.

MARTIN.  Don’t forget the woman of hens.

BLIND MAN.

    A pound of tea from the woman of hens. 
    After all this, it’s not enough
    From the man of cows—­a pinch of snuff!

ALL.

    After all this, it’s not enough
    From the man of cows—­a pinch of snuff!

OLD FARMER.  The devil the like of such fun have we had this year!

MISER.  Oh, indeed, I was only keeping a little grain for myself; but it’s likely they may want it all. (He takes the paper out, and lays it on the table.)

BLIND MAN.  A bag of meal from the man of sheep.

ALL.

    After all this, it’s not enough
    From the man of cows—­a half-ounce of snuff!

(One of the girls hands the snuff round; they laugh and sneeze, taking pinches of it.)