FATHER HART
Thus do the spirits of evil snatch their prey
Almost out of the very hand of God;
And day by day their power is more and more,
And men and women leave old paths, for pride
Comes knocking with thin knuckles on the heart.

A VOICE (_singing outside_)
The wind blows out of the gates of the day,
The wind blows over the lonely of heart,
And the lonely of heart is withered away
While the faeries dance in a place apart,
Shaking their milk-white feet in a ring,
Tossing their milk-white arms in the air;
For they hear the wind laugh and murmur and sing
Of a land where even the old are fair,
And even the wise are merry of tongue;
But I heard a reed of Coolaney say,
"When the wind has laughed and murmured and sung,
The lonely of heart is withered away."

(_The song is taken up by many voices, who sing loudly,
as if in triumph. Some of the voices seem to come from
within the house._)

[CURTAIN]

THE RIDING TO LITHEND[1]

Gordon Bottomley

[Footnote 1: This play is reprinted by permission of and by
arrangement with Constable and Company, Limited, London.]

CHARACTERS

GUNNAR HAMUNDSSON
HALLGERD LONGCOAT, his wife
RANNVEIG, his mother
ODDNY, ASTRID, and STEINVOR, Hallgerd's housewomen
ORMILD, a woman thrall
BIARTEY, JOFRID, and GUDFINN, beggar-women
GIZUR THE WHITE, MORD VALGARDSSON, THORGRIM THE
EASTERLING, THORBRAND THORLEIKSSON and ASBRAND
his brother, AUNUND, THORGEIB, and HROALD,
riders
MANY OTHER RIDERS AND VOICES OF RIDERS

TIME: _Iceland, A.D. 990_

SCENE: _The hall of GUNNAR'S house at Lithend in South Iceland.
The portion shewn is set on the stage diagonally, so that to the
right one end is seen, while from the rear corner of this, one
side runs down almost to the left front._

_The side wall is low and wainscoted with carved panelling on
which hang weapons, shields, and coats of mail. In one place a
panel slid aside shews a shut bed._

_In front of the panelling are two long benches with a carved
high-seat between them. Across the end of the hall are similar
panellings and the seats, with corresponding tables, of the
women's dais; behind these and in the gable wall is a high narrow
door with a rounded top._

_A timber roof slopes down to the side wall and is upheld by
cross-beams and two rows of tall