e of mankind, rich or poor.

TEIG. So that they brought us money.

SHEMUS. I heard say
There's something that appears like a white bird,
A pigeon or a seagull or the like,
But if you hit it with a stone or a stick
It clangs as though it had been made of brass;
And that if you dig down where it was scratching
You'll find a crock of gold.

TEIG. But dream of gold
For three nights running, and there's always gold.

SHEMUS. You might be starved before you've dug it out.

TEIG. But maybe if you called, something would come,
They have been seen of late.

MARY. Is it call devils?
Call devils from the wood, call them in here?

SHEMUS. So you'd stand up against me, and you'd say
Who or what I am to welcome here.

(He hits her.)

That is to show who's master.

TEIG. Call them in.

MARY. God help us all!

SHEMUS. Pray, if you have a mind to.
it's little that the sleepy ears above
Care for your words; but I'll call what I please.

TEIG. There is many a one, they say, had money from them.

SHEMUS. (at door)
Whatever you are that walk the woods at night,
So be it that you have not shouldered up
Out of a grave--for I'll have nothing human--
And have free hands, a friendly trick of speech,
I welcome you. Come, sit beside the fire.
What matter if your head's below your arms
Or you've a horse's tail to whip your flank,
Feathers instead of hair, that's but a straw,
Come, share what bread and meat is in the house,
And stretch your heels and warm them in the ashes.
And after that, let's share and share alike
And curse all men and women. Come in, come in.
What, is there no one there?

(Turning from door)

And yet they say
They are as common as the grass, and ride
Even upon the book in the priest's hand.

(TEIG lifts one arm slowly and points toward the door and begins
moving backwards. SHEMUS turns, he also sees something and begins
moving backward. MARY does the same. A man dressed as an
Eastern merchant comes in carrying a small carpet. He unrolls it
and sits cross-legged at one end of it. Another man dressed
in the same way follows, and sits at the other end. This is done
slowly and deliberately. When they are seated they take money out
of embroidered purses at their girdles and begin arranging it on
the carpet.

TEIG. You speak to them.

SHEMUS. No, you.

TEIG. 'Twas you that called them.

SHEMUS. (coming nearer)
I'd make so bold, if you would pardon it,
To ask if there's a thing you'd have o