Iollann Beag comes into the cloister singing.

IOLLANN BEAG.

(sings)

We watch the wee ladybird fly far away,
With an óró and an iero and an úmbó éró.

ART.

Hush, Iollann. You are in God's place.

IOLLANN BEAG.

Does God not like music? Why then did he make the finches and the chafers?

MAINE.

Your song is profane.

IOLLANN BEAG.

I didn't know.

CIARAN.

Nay, Maine, no song is profane unless there be profanity in the heart. But why do you come so late, Iollann Beag?

IOLLANN BEAG.

There was a high oak tree that I had never climbed. I went up to its top, and swung myself to the top of the next tree. I saw the tops of all the trees like the green waves of the sea.

CIARAN.

Little truant!

IOLLANN BEAG.

I am sorry, Master.

CIARAN.

Nay, I am not vext with you. But you must not climb tall trees again at lesson time. We have been waiting for you. Let us begin our lesson, lads.

He sits down.

CEALLACH.

Dear Master, I ask you to fly

from this place ere the King's horsemen close you in.

CIARAN.

My boy, you must not tempt me. He is a sorry champion who forsakes his place of battle. This is my place of battle. You would not have me do a coward thing?

ART.

But the King has many horsemen. It is not cowardly for one to fly before a host.

CIARAN.

Has not the high God captains and legions? What are the King's horsemen to the heavenly riders?

CEALLACH.

O my dear Master! ---

RONAN.

Let be, Ceallach. You cannot move him.

CIARAN.

Of what were we to speak to-day?

They have sat down around him.

ART.

You said you would speak of the friends of Our Lord.

CIARAN.

Aye, I would speak of friendship and kindly fellowship. Is it not a sad thing that every good fellowship is broken up? No league that is made among men has more than its while, its little, little while. Even that little league of twelve in Galilee was broken full soon. The shepherd was struck and the sheep of the flock scattered. The

hardest thing Our dear Lord had to bear was the scattering of His friends.

IOLLANN BEAG.

Were none faithful to Him?

CIARAN.

One man only and a few women.

IOLLANN BEAG.

Who was the man?

CEALLACH.

I know! It was John, the disciple that He loved.

CIARAN.

Aye, John of the Bosom they call him, for he was Iosa's bosom friend. Can you tell me the names of any others of His friends?

ART.

There was James, his brother.

RONAN.

There was Lazarus, for whom He wept.

BREASAL.

There was Mary, the poor woman that loved Him.

MAINE.

There was her sister Martha, who busied herself to make Him comfortable; and the other Mary.

CEALLACH.

Mary and Martha; but that other Mary is only a name.

CIARAN.

Nay, she was the mother of the sons of Zebedee. She stands for all lowly, hidden women, all the nameless women of the world who are just the mothers of their children. And so we name her one of the

three great Marys, with poor Mary that sinned, and with Mary of the Sorrows, the greatest of the Marys. What other friends can you tell me of?

IOLLANN BEAG.

There was John the Baptist, His little playmate.

CIARAN.

That is well said. Those two Johns were good comrades to Iosa.

RONAN.

There was Thomas.

CIARAN.

Poor, doubting Thomas. I am glad you did not leave him out.

MAINE.

There was Judas who betrayed Him.

ART.

There was Peter who---

IOLLANN BEAG.

Aye, good Peter of the Sword!

CIARAN.

Nay, Iollann, it is Paul that carries a sword.

IOLLANN BEAG.

Peter should have a sword, too. I will not have him cheated of his sword! It was a good blow he struck!

BREASAL.

Yet the Lord rebuked him for it.

IOLLANN BEAG.

The Lord did wrong to rebuke him. He was always down on Peter.

CIARAN.

Peter was fiery, and the Lord was very gentle.

IOLLANN BEAG.

But when He wanted a rock to build His church on He had to go to Peter. No John of the Bosom then, but the old swordsman. Paul must yield his sword to Peter. I do not like that Paul.

CIARAN.

Paul said many hard things and many dark things. When you understand him, Iollann, you will like him.

MAINE.

Let him not arrogate a sword merely because his head was cut off, and Iollann will tolerate him.

CIARAN.

Who has brought me a poem to-day? You were to bring me poems of Christ's friends.

BREASAL.

I have made a Song for Mary Magdalene. Shall I say it to you?

CIARAN.

Do, Breasal.

BREASAL.

(chants)

1] O woman of the gleaming hair
2] (Wild hair that won men's gaze to thee),
3] Weary thou turnest from the common stare,
4] For the shuiler Christ is calling thee.

5] O woman, of the snowy side,
6] Many a lover hath lain with thee,
7] Yet left thee sad at the morning tide;
8] But thy lover Christ shall comfort thee.

9] O woman with the wild thing's heart,
10] Old sin hath set a snare for thee;
11] In the forest ways forspent thou art,
12] But the hunter Christ shall pity thee.

13] O woman spendthrift of thyself,
14] Spendthrift of all the love in thee,
15] Sold unto sin for little pelf,
16] The captain Christ shall ransom thee.

17] O woman that no lover's kiss
18] (Tho' many a kiss was given thee)
19] Could slake thy love, is it not for this
20] The hero Christ shall die for thee?

CIARAN.

That is a good song, Breasal. What you have said is true, that love is a very great thing. I do not think faith will be denied to him that loves. Iollann was to make me a song to-day, too.

IOLLANN BEAG.

I have made only a little rann. I couldn't think of rhymes for a big song.

CIARAN.

What do you call your rann?

IOLLANN BEAG.

It is the Rann of the Little Playmate. It is a rann that John the Baptist made when he was on the way to Iosa's house one day.

CIARAN.

Sing it to us, Iollann.

IOLLANN:

(sings)

1] Young Iosa plays with me every day
2] (With an óró and an iero)
3] Tig and Pookeen and Hide-in-the-Hay
4] (With an óró and an iero.)

5] We race in the river with otters gray,
6] We climb the tall trees where red squirrels play,
7] We watch the wee lady-bird fly far away,
8] (With an óró and an iero and an imbó éro).

[A knocking is heard.]

CIARAN.

Run and open the postern, Iollann.

CEALLACH.

Master, this may be the King's people.

CIARAN.

If it be, Iollann will let them in.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 526