The Green Helmet and Other Poems

[Crying out so as to be heard through Emer’s singing]

Deafen her singing with horns!

Conall’s Wife

Cry aloud! blow horns! make a noise!

Laegaire’s Wife

Blow horns, clap hands, or shout, so that you smother her voice!

[The Horse Boys and Scullions blow their horns or fight among themselves. There is a deafening noise and a confused fight. Suddenly three black hands come through the windows and put out the torches. It is now pitch dark, but for a faint light outside the house which merely shows that there are moving forms, but not who or what they are, and in the darkness one can hear low terrified voices]

A Voice

Coal-black, and headed like cats, they came up over the strand.

Another Voice

And I saw one stretch to a torch and cover it with his hand.

Another Voice

Another sooty fellow has plucked the moon from the air.

[A light gradually comes into the house from the sea, on which the moon begins to show once more.There is no light within the house, and the great beams of the walls are dark and full of shadows, and the persons of the play dark too against the light. The Red Man is seen standing in the midst of the house. The black cat-headed Men crouch and stand about the door. One carries the Helmet, one the great sword]

Red Man

I demand the debt that’s owing. Let some man kneel down there
That I may cut his head off, or all shall go to wrack.

Cuchulain

He played and paid with his head and it’s right that we pay him back,
And give him more than he gave, for he comes in here as a guest:
So I will give him my head.

[Emer begins to keen]

Little wife, little wife, be at rest.
Alive I have been far off in all lands under sun,
And been no faithful man; but when my story is done
My fame shall spring up and laugh, and set you high above all.

Emer

[Putting her arms about him]

It is you, not your fame, that I love.

Cuchulain

[Tries to put her from him]

You are young, you are wise, you can call
Some kinder and comelier man that will sit at home in the house.

Emer

Live and be faithless still.

Cuchulain

[Throwing her from him]

Would you stay the great barnacle-goose
When its eyes are turned to the sea and its beak to the salt of the air?

Emer

[Lifting her dagger to stab herself]

I, too, on the grey wing’s path.

Cuchulain

[Seizing dagger]

Do you dare, do you dare, do you dare?
Bear children and sweep the house.

[Forcing his way through the Servants who gather round]

Wail, but keep from the road.

[He kneels before Red Man. There is a pause]

Quick to your work, old Radish, you will fade when the cocks have crowed.

[A black cat-headed Man holds out the Helmet. The Red Man takes it]

Red Man

I have not come for your hurt, I’m the Rector of this land,
And with my spitting cat-heads, my frenzied moon-bred band,
Age after age I sift it, and choose for its championship
The man who hits my fancy.