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THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD

CROWD. Here's his prizes! A bag- Mahon, on the sides of Neifin, when
pipes! A fiddle was played by a poet in the night is down?
the years gone by! A flat and three- CHRISTY. It's little you'll think
thorned blackthorn would lick the if my love's a poacher's, or an earl's
scholars out of Dublin town! itself, when you'll feel my two hands
CHRISTY -- (taking prizes from stretched around you, and I squeezing
the men.) -- Thank you kindly, the lot kisses on your puckered lips, till I'd
of you. But you'd say it was little only feel a kind of pity for the Lord God is
I did this day if you'd seen me a while all ages sitting lonesome in his golden
since striking my one single blow. chair.
TOWN CRIER -- (outside, ringing PEGEEN. That'll be right fun,
a bell.) -- Take notice, last event of Christy Mahon, and any girl would
this day! Tug-of-warring on the green walk her heart out before she'd meet a
below! Come on, the lot of you! Great young man was your like for elo-
achievements for all Mayo men! quence, or talk, at all.
PEGEEN. Go on, and leave him CHRISTY -- (encouraged.) Let
for to rest and dry. Go on, I tell you, you wait, to hear me talking, till we're
for he'll do no more. (She hustles astray in Erris, when Good Friday's
crowd out; Widow Quin following by, drinking a sup from a well, and
them.) making mighty kisses with our wetted
MEN -- (going.) -- Come on then. mouths, or gaming in a gap or sun-
Good luck for the while! shine, with yourself stretched back
PEGEEN -- (radiantly, wiping unto your necklace, in the flowers of
his face with her shawl.) -- Well, the earth.
you're the lad, and you'll have great PEGEEN -- (in a lower voice,
times from this out when you could moved by his tone.) -- I'd be nice so, is
win that wealth of prizes, and you it?
sweating in the heat of noon! CHRISTY -- (with rapture.) -- If
CHRISTY -- (looking at her with the mitred bishops seen you that time,
delight.) -- I'll have great times if I they'd be the like of the holy proph-
win the crowning prize I'm seeking ets, I'm thinking, do be straining the
now, and that's your promise that bars of Paradise to lay eyes on the La-
you'll wed me in a fortnight, when dy Helen of Troy, and she abroad,
our banns is called. pacing back and forward, with a nose-
PEGEEN -- (backing away from gay in her golden shawl.
him.) -- You've right daring to go ask PEGEEN -- (with real tender-
me that, when all knows you'll be ness.) -- And what is it I have, Christy
starting to some girl in your own Mahon, to make me fitting entertain-
townland, when your father's rotten ment for the like of you, that has such
in four months, or five. poet's talking, and such bravery of
CHRISTY -- (indignantly.) Start- heart?
ing from you, is it? (He follows her.) CHRISTY -- (in a low voice.) --
I will not, then, and when the airs is Isn't there the light of seven heavens
warming in four months, or five, it's in your heart alone, the way you'll be
then yourself and me should be pac- an angel's lamp to me from this out,
ing Neifin in the dews of night, the and I abroad in the darkness, spear-
times sweet smells do be rising, and ing salmons in the Owen, or the Car-
you'd see a little shiny new moon, rowmore?
maybe, sinking on the hills. PEGEEN. If I was your wife, I'd
PEGEEN (looking at him play- be along with you those nights, Chris-
fully.) -- And it's that kind of a ty Mahon, the way you'd see I was a
poacher's love you'd make, Christy great hand at coaxing bailiffs, or

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