ds caught a maniac one time and pelted the poor creature till he ran
out, raving and foaming, and was drowned in the sea.

MAHON -- [with philosophy.] -- It's true mankind is the divil when your
head's astray. Let me out now and I'll slip down the boreen, and not see
them so.

WIDOW QUIN -- [showing him out.] -- That's it. Run to the right, and not
a one will see. [He runs off.]

PHILLY -- [wisely.] You're at some gaming, Widow Quin; but I'll walk
after him and give him his dinner and a time to rest, and I'll see then
if he's raving or as sane as you.

WIDOW QUIN -- [annoyed.] If you go near that lad, let you be wary of
your head, I'm saying. Didn't you hear him telling he was crazed at
times?

PHILLY. I heard him telling a power; and I'm thinking we'll have right
sport, before night will fall. [He goes out.]

JIMMY. Well, Philly's a conceited and foolish man. How could that madman
have his senses and his brain-pan slit? I'll go after them and see him
turn on Philly now. [He goes; Widow Quin hides poteen behind counter.
Then hubbub outside.]

VOICES. There you are! Good jumper! Grand lepper! Darlint boy! He's the
racer! Bear him on, will you! [Christy comes in, in Jockey's dress, with
Pegeen Mike, Sara, and other girls, and men.]

PEGEEN -- [to crowd.] -- Go on now and don't destroy him and he
drenching with sweat. Go along, I'm saying, and have your tug-of-warring
till he's dried his skin.

CROWD. Here's his prizes! A bagpipes! A fiddle was played by a poet in
the years gone by! A flat and three-thorned blackthorn would lick the
scholars out of Dublin town!

CHRISTY -- [taking prizes from the men.] -- Thank you kindly, the lot of
you. But you'd say it was little only I did this day if you'd seen me a
while since striking my one single blow.

TOWN CRIER -- [outside, ringing a bell.] -- Take notice, last event of
this day! Tug-of-warring on the green below! Come on, the lot of you!
Great achievements for all Mayo men!

PEGEEN. Go on, and leave him for to rest and dry. Go on, I tell you, for
he'll do no more. (She hustles crowd out; Widow Quin following them.)

MEN -- [going.] -- Come on then. Good luck for the while!

PEGEEN -- [radiantly, wiping his face with her shawl.] -- Well, you're
the lad, and you'll have great times from this out when you could win
that wealth of prizes, and you sweating in the heat of noon!

CHRISTY -- [looking at her with delight.] -- I'll have great times if
I win the crowni