Chapter 9

(_A front scene. A poor hut or tent, the Princes are coming in slowly, some limping. They are in Wrenboys' clothes and the masks are in their hands_.)

_1st Prince_: This should be the hut where the Wrenboys told us to come.

_2nd Prince_: It is a poor looking place.

_3d Prince_: It is good to have any place to sit down in for a while. My back is aching.

_4th Prince_: My feet are all scratched and torn. There are blisters rising.

_5th Prince:_ I thought we would never come to the end of the road. The stones by the lake were so hard and so sharp.

_1st Prince_: It was a root of a tree I fell over that made these bruises on my knees. I was watching a hawk that was still and quiet up in the air, and when it made a swoop all of a sudden I stumbled and fell.

_2nd Prince_: It was in slipping where the rocks are high I gave this twist to my arm. I can hardly move it.

_3rd Prince_: But wasn't the sight of the sunset splendid over the lake? And the hills so blue!

_4th Prince_: I like the tall trees best. I tried to climb up one of them, but it was so smooth I did but slip and fall.

_1st Prince_: I would wish to walk as far as the hills, and to have a view of the ocean that is beyond.

_5th Prince_: I am hungry. I wonder where we will get our supper.

_4th Prince_: Not in this place, anyway, it must be making ready in some big guesthouse.

_3rd, Prince_: What will they give us, I wonder?

_2nd Prince_: I wish we had in our hand what they have ready for us at home.

_1st Prince_: What use would it be to us? Do you remember what we asked to be given, some jellies and a few grapes? It is not that much would satisfy me now.

_2nd Prince_: Indeed it would not. I never felt so sharp a hunger in my longest memory.

_3rd Prince_: It is roasted meat I would wish for.

_4th Prince_: There were pigeons in the tall trees. They will maybe give us a pigeon pie.

_5th Prince_: I would be content with a plate of minced turkey with poached eggs.

_1st Prince_: I would sooner have a roasted chicken, with bread sauce.

_2nd Prince_: Be quiet.... I think I hear someone coming! _(Looks out.)_

_3rd Prince: (Looking out.)_ I see him. He is not a right man ...he is very strange looking....

_4th Prince: (Looking out.)_ Oh! It is an Ogre! A Grugach!

_(All shrink back and hurriedly put on masks.)_

_Ogre: (Coming in: he wears a frightful mask, has red hair and a cloak of rough skins and carries a whip with many lashes_.) What makes ye late to-night, ye young schemers? What was it delayed ye? Lagging along the road.

_1st Prince_: We came as fast as we could. It was getting dusk in the wood.

_Ogre_: Dusk, good morrow to you! I'll dusk ye! I had a mind to go after ye and to change myself into the form of a wolf, and catch a hold of ye with my long sharp teeth!

_2nd Prince_: We did not know there was any great hurry.

_Ogre_: There is always hurry when you are on my messages. What did I bring you away from your own house for and put ye on the shaughraun for and keep ye wandering, if it was not to be serviceable and helpful to myself. Show me now what ye have in your pocket or your bag.

_3rd Prince_: This is all we got in the bag. (_Holds it out_.) It is but very little.

_Ogre_: (_Turning it out and counting it_.) Coppers! Silver! What is this? A piece of gold! Is that what ye call little? What notions ye have! Take care did ye keep any of it back! If ye did I'll skin ye with the lash of my cat-o'-nine-tails. (_Shakes it_.)

_4th Prince_: That is all we got. It should maybe pay for our supper in some place.

_Ogre_: What supper? To go buy supper with my money! It will go to add to my store of treasure in the cave that is under ground.

_5th Prince_: We are hungry, very hungry. When will the supper be ready?

_Ogre_: It will be ready whenever ye will ready it for yourselves. Ye should know that by this time.

_1st Prince_: We would make it ready if we were acquainted with the way.

_Ogre_: It is gone cracked ye are? What is it ye are thinking to get for your supper? What ailed ye that ye didn't climb a tree and suck a few pigeon's eggs?

_2nd Prince_: We were thinking of a pigeon pie.

_Ogre_: A what!!!

_2nd Prince_: A pigeon pie.

_Ogre_: Hurry on then making your pigeon pie! There are pigeons enough there in the corner, that a hawk that is my carrier brought me in a while ago. And there's a pike that was in the lake these hundred years, an otter is after leaving at my door.

_3rd Prince_: (_Taking a pigeon_.) I don't think this is a right pigeon.

_4th Prince_: Pigeons in a pie are not the pigeons that have feathers.

_5th Prince_: (_To Ogre_.) Please, sir, where can we find pigeons without feathers, that are trussed on a silver skewer?

_Ogre_: Aye? What's that?

_1st Prince_: Never mind. You'll anger him. Maybe we can pull the feathers off these. I have read of plucking a pigeon in our books. (_They begin to pluck_.)

_2nd Prince_: It is very hard work.

_3rd Prince_: I never knew feathers could stick in so hard.

_4th Prince_: The more we pull out the more there would seem to be left.

_5th Prince_: It will be a feather pie we will be getting in the end.

_1st Prince_: (_Throwing it down_.) It is no use. We might work at it to-day and to-morrow and be no nearer to a finish.

_2nd Prince_: The pike might be better.

_3rd Prince_: It has no feathers anyway.

_4th Prince_: (_Touching it_.) It is raw and bleeding!

_5th Prince_: We might roast it.

_1st Prince_: The fire is black out.

_2nd Prince_: I wonder what way can we kindle it?

_3rd Prince_: Better ask him. (_Points to Ogre_.)

_2nd Prince_: Please, sir, what way can we kindle the fire?

_Ogre_: What!

_4th Prince_: We would wish to light the fire.

_Ogre_: Well, do so.

_5th Prince_: If we had a box of matches....

_Ogre_: Matches! What are you talking about? Matches won't be invented for the next seven hundred years.

_1st Prince_: What can we do then, we are starving with hunger.

_Ogre_: Let ye blow a breath upon a coal under the ashes, and bring in small sticks from the wood.

_2nd Prince_: (_Blowing_.) The ashes are choking me.

_Ogre_: Very good. Then you'll put no delay on me, waiting till you'll cook your supper.

_3rd Prince_: Where can we get it then?

_Ogre_: You'll go without it, as you were too helpless to catch it, or to dress it, there's no one will force you to eat it.

_4th Prince_: If there is nothing for us to eat we had best pass the time in sleep.

_5th Prince_: I am all covered with ashes and dirt. (_To Ogre_.) Please, where can I find a towel and a piece of soap?

_Ogre_: Soap! Is it bewitched ye are or demented in the head? Did ever anyone hear of soap unless of a Saturday night? Letting on to be as dainty and as useless as those young princes beyond, that are kept closed up in a tower of glass. Come on now. If there is no food that suits you, leave it. It is time for us to get to work.

_1st Prince_: But it is bed-time.

_Ogre_: Your bed-time is the time when I have no more use for you. Don't you know I have made a plan? What was it I sent you for, spying out that place of the young princes? Wasn't it to see where is it that treasure is kept, the golden-handled sword of Justice that is used by the Guardian when he turns Judge.

_2nd Prince_: That is kept in the Courthouse.

_Ogre_: That's right ...in what part of it?

_3rd Prince_: What do you want it for?

_Ogre_: I have it in my mind this long time to get and to keep it in my cave under ground, along with the rest of my treasures that are in charge of my two enchanted cats. I have had near enough of grubbing for gold with a pick in the clefts and crannies of the earth. It is time for me to find some rest, and get into my hand what is ready worked and smelted and purified. We are going to that Courthouse to-night. If we cannot get in at the door, I will put ye in at the window and ye can open the door to myself. I will find out where the sword is, and away with us, and it in my hand.

_4th Prince_: But that would be stealing.

_Ogre_: What else would it be?

_4th Prince_: But that is wrong. It is against the law.

_Ogre_: The law! That is the Judge's trade. Breaking it is mine.

_5th Prince_: Ask him for it and maybe he will give it to you, he is so kind.

_Ogre_: I'll take no charity! What I get I'll earn by taking it. I would feel no pleasure it being given to me, any more than a huntsman would take pleasure being made a present of a dead fox, in place of getting a run across country after it. Come on now! We'll have the moon wasted. We'll hardly get there before the dawn of day.

_1st Prince_: Whatever time you get there the Guardian will be awake. There is a cock of Denmark perched on the curtain rod of his bed, specially to waken him if there is any stir.

_Ogre_: There is, is there? What a fool you think me to be. Do you see that pot?

_2nd Prince_: We do see it.

_Ogre_: Look what there is in it.

_3rd Prince_: Nothing but a few bare bones.

_Ogre_: Well, that is all that is left of the Judge's cock of Denmark, that was brought to me awhile ago by a fox that is my messenger, and that I have boiled and ate and devoured.

_All the Princes_: O! O! O!

_Ogre_: (_Cracking his whip_.) He was boiled in the little pot. Come on now and lead the way, or I give you my word it is in the big pot your own bones will be making broth for my breakfast in the morning! (_Cracks whip_.) Now, right about face! Quick march!

CURTAIN