The Black Fool’s Speech

No. I wont listen any more. Go away. What is that you are saying? (Goes R. I. E. & speaks as if talking to somebody) No. I’ll have my own way. I told you from the first I was go[ing] to. Yes I’m quite ready to take the consequences (Goes C) He’s always interfearing. As if one could make any kind of enchantment worth looking at, if one had always to be thinking of him (at C, facing audience) The Stage Manager says I’ve got to make an enchantment for you — something wonderful — Something unlike anything you ever juggle for you. That I’m to cause a vision to come before your eyes, but he doesn’t want to let me please myself. He says it must be simple, easy to understand, and all about real human beings but I am going to please myself this time (going halfway to the side). It’s no use shaking you hand at me there. I am going to do just as I like. What is the use of getting the black jester out of the waste places if he is not to do what he like (returns to C). These are my friends that I have hung around my neck. Some of them I picked up on the wayside, some of them I made with a jack knife. I am going to make you dream about them & about me. I am going to wave my fingers & you will begin to dream. These two are Aengus and Edaine. They are spirits & whenever I am in love it is not I them in Love but Aengus who is always looking for Edaine through somebody’s eyes. You will read about them in the old Irish books. She was the wife of Midher another spirit in the hill but he grew jealous of her & he put her out of doors, & Aengus hid her in a tower of glass. That is why I carry the two of them in a glass bottle. (holds bottle in front of me) O Aengus! O Edaine! be kind to me when I am in love & to everybody in this audience when they are in love & make us all believe that it is not you but us ourselves that love. These others — the black dog, the red dog & the white dog. — I am always afraid of them. Sometimes the black dog gets on my back, though [end p. 303]I have not been juggling but I will not talk about him for he was very wicked. I do not know the red dog from myself whenever I am angry or excited or running about. And it is only when I escapt from him & [?] the black dog, and the pale dog leads me where i would go. that I would go to everything impossible and lasting To the place where these poor flowers that I have round my head can never die because they are made out of precious stones. They too are myself but that is a great mystery. The dogs, and the little king & queen in the bottle & the flowers, they are all going to be in the dream that you are going to dream presently, but they will be great & terrible & my birds will be there too (takes out birds) These sea birds that I shall be like when I get out of the body & this eagle that carries me messages from beyond the body & this jewsharp that I play on when my birds & my beasts wont talk to me & I too shall be there, there in the dream & things that I would all that I did long ago or that I would like to do. I would like to lead…(2)