son
of the King of the Marshes.

_King_: Go bring him in.

_(Gatekeeper goes_.)

_Dall Glic_: That's right! He has great riches
and treasure. There are some say he is the first
match in Ireland.

_Nurse_: He is not. If his father has a copper
crown, and our own King a silver one, it is the
King of Sorcha has a crown of gold! The young
King of Sorcha that is the first match.

_Dall Glic_: If he is, this one is apt to be the
second first.

_Queen_: Do you hear, Nuala, what luck is flowing
to you?

_Dall Glic_: Do not now be turning your back
on him as you did to so many.

_Princess_: No; whoever he is, it is likely I will
not turn away from this one.

_Queen_: Go now and ready yourself to meet him.

_Princess_: Am I not nice enough the way I am?

_Queen_: You are not. The King of Alban's
daughter has hair as smooth as if a cow had licked it.

_(Princess goes_.)

_Gatekeeper_: Here is the Prince of the Marshes!

_(Enter Prince, very young and timid, an old lady
on each side slightly in advance of him_.)

_King_: A great welcome before you....
And who may these be?

_Prince_: Seven aunts I have....

_First Aunt: (Interrupting.)_ If he has, there
are but two of us have come along with him.

_Second Aunt_: For to care him and be company
for him on his journey, it being the first time he
ever quitted home.

_Queen_: This is a great honour. Will you take
a chair?

_First Aunt_: Leave that for the Prince of the
Marshes. It is away from the draught of the
window.

_Second Aunt_: We ourselves are in charge of
his health. I have here his eel-skin boots for the
days that will be wet under foot.

_First Aunt_: And I have here my little bag of
cures, with a cure in it that would rise the body
out of the grave as whole and as sound as the time
you were born.

_(Lays it down_.)

_King: (To Prince_.) It is many a day your
father and myself were together in our early time.
What way is he? He was farther out in age than
myself.

_Prince_: He is ...

_First Aunt: (Interrupting_.) He is only middling
these last years. The doctors have taken him in
hand.

_King_: He was more for fowling, and I was
more for horses--before I increased so much in
girth. Is it for horses you are, Prince?

_Prince_: I didn't go up on one up to this.

_First Aunt_: Kings and princes are getting scarce.
They are the most class is wearing away, and it is
right for them keep in mind their safety.

_Second Aunt_: