The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Well of the Saints, by J. M. Synge

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Title: The Well of the Saints

Author: J. M. Synge

Posting Date: September 17, 2008 [EBook #1241]
Release Date: March, 1998

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WELL OF THE SAINTS ***

Produced by Judy Boss

THE WELL OF THE SAINTS

A Comedy in Three Acts

By J. M. Synge

SCENE Some lonely mountainous district in the east of Ireland one or
more centuries ago.

THE WELL OF THE SAINTS was first produced in the Abbey Theatre in
February, 1905, by the Irish National Theatre Society, under the
direction of W. G. Fay, and with the following cast.

Martin Doul W. G. FAY
Mary Doul EMMA VERNON
Timmy GEORGE ROBERTS
Molly Byrne SARA ALLGOOD
Bride MAIRE NIC SHIUBHLAIGH
Mat Simon P. MAC SHIUBHLAIGH
The Saint F. J. FAY
OTHER GIRLS AND MEN

MARTIN DOUL, weather-beaten, blind beggar

MARY DOUL, his Wife, weather-beaten, ugly woman, blind also, nearly
fifty

TIMMY, a middle-aged, almost elderly, but vigorous smith

MOLLY BYRNE, fine-looking girl with fair hair

BRIDE, another handsome girl

MAT SIMON

THE SAINT, a wandering Friar

OTHER GIRLS AND MEN

THE WELL OF THE SAINTS

ACT I

[Roadside with big stones, etc., on the right; low loose wall at back
with gap near centre; at left, ruined doorway of church with bushes
beside it. Martin Doul and Mary Doul grope in on left and pass over to
stones on right, where they sit.]

MARY DOUL. What place are we now, Martin Doul?

MARTIN DOUL. Passing the gap.

MARY DOUL -- [raising her head.] -- The length of that! Well, the sun's
getting warm this day if it's late autumn itself.

MARTIN DOUL -- [putting out his hands in sun.] -- What way wouldn't
it be warm and it getting high up in the south? You were that length
plaiting your yellow hair you have the morning lost on us, and the
people are after passing to the fair of Clash.

MARY DOUL. It isn't going to the fair, the time they do be driving their
cattle and they with a litter of pigs maybe squealing in their carts,
the