For under the cover the grains are falling, and when
they are all fallen I shall die; and my soul will be lost if I have not
found somebody that believes!
they are all fallen I shall die; and my soul will be lost if I have not
found somebody that believes!
Yeats
[_He drags him back into the
room. _] Is there a Heaven? Is there a Hell? Is there a Purgatory?
FOOL.
So you ask me now. When you were asking your pupils, I said to myself,
if he would ask Teig the Fool, Teig could tell him all about it, for
Teig has learned all about it when he has been cutting the nets.
WISE MAN.
Tell me; tell me!
FOOL.
I said, Teig knows everything. Not even the cats or the hares that milk
the cows have Teig's wisdom. But Teig will not speak; he says nothing.
WISE MAN.
Tell me, tell me!
For under the cover the grains are falling, and when
they are all fallen I shall die; and my soul will be lost if I have not
found somebody that believes! Speak, speak!
FOOL [_looking wise_].
No, no, I won't tell you what is in my mind, and I won't tell you what
is in my bag. You might steal away my thoughts. I met a bodach on the
road yesterday, and he said, 'Teig, tell me how many pennies are in
your bag; I will wager three pennies that there are not twenty pennies
in your bag; let me put in my hand and count them. ' But I pulled the
strings tighter, like this; and when I go to sleep every night I hide
the bag where no one knows.
WISE MAN.
[_Goes towards the hour-glass as if to uncover it. _]
No, no, I have not the courage. [_He kneels. _] Have pity upon me, Fool,
and tell me!
FOOL.
Ah! Now, that is different. I am not afraid of you now.
room. _] Is there a Heaven? Is there a Hell? Is there a Purgatory?
FOOL.
So you ask me now. When you were asking your pupils, I said to myself,
if he would ask Teig the Fool, Teig could tell him all about it, for
Teig has learned all about it when he has been cutting the nets.
WISE MAN.
Tell me; tell me!
FOOL.
I said, Teig knows everything. Not even the cats or the hares that milk
the cows have Teig's wisdom. But Teig will not speak; he says nothing.
WISE MAN.
Tell me, tell me!
For under the cover the grains are falling, and when
they are all fallen I shall die; and my soul will be lost if I have not
found somebody that believes! Speak, speak!
FOOL [_looking wise_].
No, no, I won't tell you what is in my mind, and I won't tell you what
is in my bag. You might steal away my thoughts. I met a bodach on the
road yesterday, and he said, 'Teig, tell me how many pennies are in
your bag; I will wager three pennies that there are not twenty pennies
in your bag; let me put in my hand and count them. ' But I pulled the
strings tighter, like this; and when I go to sleep every night I hide
the bag where no one knows.
WISE MAN.
[_Goes towards the hour-glass as if to uncover it. _]
No, no, I have not the courage. [_He kneels. _] Have pity upon me, Fool,
and tell me!
FOOL.
Ah! Now, that is different. I am not afraid of you now.