ss_: Whatever the story is, let me know
it, and not be treated as a child that is without
courage or sense.

_Fintan_: It's long till I'll come out from my
cleft again, and getting no peace or quiet on the
ridge of the earth. It is laid down by the stars
that cannot lie, that on this day twelvemonth, you
yourself will be ate and devoured by a scaly Green
Dragon from the North!

END OF ACT I.

ACT II

ACT II

_Scene: The Same. Princess and Nurse_.

_Nurse_: Cheer up now, my honey bird, and
don't be fretting.

_Princess_: It is not easy to quit fretting, and
the terrible story you are after telling me of all
that is before and all that is behind me.

_Nurse_: They had no right at all to go make
you aware of it. The Queen has too much talk.
An unlucky stepmother she is to you!

_Princess_: It is well for me she is here. It is
well I am told the truth, where the whole of you
were treating me like a child without sense, so
giddy I was and contrary, and petted and humoured
by the whole of you. What memory would there
be left of me and my little life gone by, but of a
headstrong, unruly child with no thought but
for myself.

_Nurse_: No, but the best in the world, you
are; there is no one seeing you pass by but would
love you.

_Princess_: That is not so. I was wild and taking
my own way, mocking and humbugging.

_Nurse_: I never will give in that there is no
way to save you from that Dragon that is foretold
to be your destruction. I would give the
four divisions of the world, and Ireland along
with them, if I could see you pelting your ball
in at the window the same as an hour ago!

_Princess_: Maybe you will, so long as it will hurt
nobody.

_Nurse_: Ah, sure it's no wonder there to be the
tracks of tears upon your face, and that great terror
before you.

_Princess_: I will wipe them away! I will not
give in to danger or to dragons! No one will
see a dark face on me. I am a king's daughter
of Ireland, I did not come out of a herd's hut like
Deirdre that went sighing and lamenting till she
was put to death, the world being sick and tired
of her complaints, and her finger at her eye dripping
tears!

_Nurse_: That's right, now. You had always
great courage.

_Princess_: There is like a change within me.
You never will hear a cross word from me again.
I would wish to be pleasant and peaceable until
such time ...

_(Puts handkerchief to eyes and goes.)_

_Dall Glic: (Coming