ing and the pullets
praising themselves after laying an egg! and the
cackling and hissing of the geese.

_Mother:_ Lie down so on the settle, and I'll let
no one disturb you. You're destroyed, avic, with
the want of sleep.

_Conan:_ There'll be no peace in this kitchen no
more than on the common highway with the
people running in and out.

_Mother:_ I'll go sit in the little gap without, and
the whole place will be as quiet as St. Colman's
wilderness of stones.

_Conan:_ The boards are too hard.

_Mother:_ I'll put a pillow in under you.

_Conan:_ Now it's too narrow. Leave me now
it'll be best.

_Mother:_ Sleep and good dreams to you. (_Goes
singing sleepy song_.)

_Conan:_ The most troublesome family ever I
knew in all my born days! Why is that people
cannot have behaviour now the same as in ancient
Greece. (_Sits up_.) I'll not give them the satisfaction
of going asleep. I'll drink a sup of the
tea that is black with standing and with strength.
(_Drinks and lies down_.) I'll engage that'll keep
me waking. (_Music heard_.) Is it to annoy me
they are playing tunes of music? I'll let on to be
asleep! (_Shuts eyes_.)

(_Two large Cats with fiery eyes look over top
of settle_.)

_1st Cat:_

See the fool that crossed our path
Rummaging within the rath.

Coveting a spell is bound
Agelong in our haunted ground.

Hid that none disturb its peace
By a Druid out from Greece.

Spies and robbers have no call
Rooting in our ancient wall.

Man or mortal what is he
Matched against the mighty Sidhe?

_2nd Cat_:

Bid our riders of the night
Daze and craze him with affright,

Leave him fainting and forlorn
Hanging on the moon's young horn.

Let the death-bands turn him pale
Through the venom of our tail.

Let him learn to love our law
With the sharpness of our claw.

Let our King-cat's fiery flash
Turn him to a heap of ash.

_1st Cat_:

Punishment enough he'll find
In his cross and cranky mind.

Ha, ha, ha, and ho, ho, ho,
He'd a sharper penance know,

We'd have better sport to-day
If he got his will and way,

Found the spell that lies unknown
Underneath his own hearthstone.

(_They disappear saying together_:)

Men and mortals what are ye
Matched against the mighty Sidhe?

_Conan_: (_Looking out timidly_.) Are they gone?
Here, Puss, puss! Come hither now poor Puss!
They're not in it.... Here now! here's milk
for ye