made yet.

_First Aunt_: Didn't you hear me saying, and
the Prince saying, there is nothing could be laid
down against it.

_Princess_: There is one thing against it.

_Queen_: Oh, there can be nothing worth while!

_Princess_: A thing you would think a great
drawback and all your kindred would think it.

_Queen: (Rapidly.)_ There is nothing, but maybe
that she is not so tall as you might think, through
the length of the heels of her shoes.

_Second Aunt_: We would put up with that much.

_Princess: (Rapidly.)_ It is that there was a
spell put upon me--by a water-witch that was of
my kindred. At some hours of the day I am as
you see me, but at other hours I am changed into
a sea-filly from the Country-under-Wave. And
when I smell salt on the west wind I must race and
race and race. And when I hear the call of the
gulls or the sea-eagles over my head, I must leap
up to meet them till I can hardly tell what is my
right element, is it the high air or is it the loosened
spring-tide!

_Queen_: Stop your nonsense talk. She is gone
wild and raving with the great luck that is come
to her!

_(Prince has stood up, and is watching her
eagerly.)_

_Princess_: I feel a wind at this very time that
is blowing from the wilderness of the sea, and
I am changing with it.... There. _(Pulls down
her hair.)_ Let my mane go free! I will race
you, Prince, I will race you! The wind of March
will not overtake me, Prince, and I running on the
top of the white waves!

_(Runs out; Prince entranced, rushes to door.)_

_Aunts: (Catching hold of him.)_ Are you going
mad wild like herself?

_Prince_: Oh, I will go after her!

_First Aunt: (Clutching him)_ Do not! She
will drag you to destruction.

_Prince: (Struggling to door.)_ What matter! Let
me go or she will escape me! _(Shaking himself
free.)_ I will never stop till I come to her.

_(He rushes out, Second Aunt still holding on
to him.)_

_First Aunt_: What at all has come upon him?
I never knew him this way before!

_(She trots after him.)_

_Princess: (Comes leaping in by window.)_ They
are gone running the road to Muckanish! But
they won't find me!

_Queen_: You have a right to be ashamed of
yourself and your play-game. It's easy for you
to go joking, having neither cark nor care: that
is no way to treat the second best match in Ireland!

_King_: You were saying you had your mind
made up to take him.

_Princess_: It failed me to do it! Himself and
his