I will prick on my way Far into the country of my God, And if it be true, as they say, That He is calm and unhurried, Some day I shall break through a gap in the hedge And come upon Him seated by the road-edge. Then shall I say to Him these three things, baring my brow: “Wherefore art Thou, whence didst Thou come, and whither goest Thou? Answer, I pray, for I ask of Thee As one traveller of another.” [_Enter the Carpenter, unperceived by Finn._] CARPENTER Good day! FINN [_Starting violently._] Good day! CARPENTER It’s a fine day. FINN [_Gloomily._] It’s fine as long as this breeze lasts, but I’m thinking it’ll not be long before there’s a shower coming over from Badenoch. CARPENTER Ay! It’s soft; but it’ll not be much with the sun where it is. FINN The sun may be as high as it likes, it’ll not make much difference to the shadow on my mind. CARPENTER What sort of a shadow is on your mind? FINN A shadow like the one across the breast Of Kinlochleven when the sun goes west, And the Bidean, that great serious Ben, Stoops to consider men. CARPENTER That’s a long shadow. FINN It’s a shadow of crosses and spells and seven fairy fetters of travelling and straying, to be with the one that considers me before I shall eat food, or drink a draught, or close an eye in sleep. CARPENTER It’s a long shadow, but maybe I can help you to the one that considers you if you’ll consider me. FINN What are you good at to help me? CARPENTER I am a good carpenter. FINN How good are you at carpentry? CARPENTER With three strokes of this axe I can make a large capacious complete ship of the alder-stock over yonder. FINN [_Eagerly._] You are good enough then, carpenter, for I am wanting a ship To go on this trip. Can you prove me your skill? CARPENTER Ay, with a will. [_The Carpenter goes to the alder-stock, strikes it with his axe thrice, and, as he says, the ship is ready in the sea waiting for them._] FINN [_Delighted._] It is a very beautiful wide ship; what can it do? CARPENTER It can take you to the one that considers you, If rightly handled, and, as far’s I see, Brings such a one again to you and me.