THE COLLECTED WORKS OF WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS THE KING’S THRESHOLD. ON BAILE’S STRAND. DEIRDRE. SHADOWY WATERS :: BEING THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE COLLECTED WORKS IN VERSE & PROSE OF WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS :: IMPRINTED AT THE SHAKESPEARE HEAD PRESS STRATFORD-ON-AVON MCMVIII CONTENTS PAGE THE KING’S THRESHOLD 1 ON BAILE’S STRAND 69 DEIRDRE 125 THE SHADOWY WATERS 179 APPENDIX I: ACTING VERSION OF ‘THE SHADOWY WATERS’ 231 APPENDIX II: A DIFFERENT VERSION OF DEIRDRE’S ENTRANCE 251 APPENDIX III: THE LEGENDARY AND MYTHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF THE PLAYS 254 APPENDIX IV: THE DATES AND PLACES OF PERFORMANCE OF PLAYS 256 _The friends that have it I do wrong When ever I remake a song, Should know what issue is at stake: It is myself that I remake._ THE KING’S THRESHOLD TO FRANK FAY BECAUSE OF HIS BEAUTIFUL SPEAKING IN THE CHARACTER OF SEANCHAN _PERSONS IN THE PLAY_ KING GUAIRE SEANCHAN (_pronounced_ SHANAHAN) HIS PUPILS THE MAYOR OF KINVARA TWO CRIPPLES BRIAN (_an old servant_) THE LORD HIGH CHAMBERLAIN A SOLDIER A MONK COURT LADIES TWO PRINCESSES FEDELM THE KING’S THRESHOLD. _Steps before the Palace of KING GUAIRE at Gort. A table in front of steps at one side, with food on it, and a bench by table. SEANCHAN lying on steps. PUPILS before steps. KING on the upper step before a curtained door._ KING. I WELCOME you that have the mastery Of the two kinds of Music: the one kind Being like a woman, the other like a man. Both you that understand stringed instruments, And how to mingle words and notes together So artfully, that all the Art’s but Speech Delighted with its own music; and you that carry The long twisted horn, and understand The heady notes that, being without words, Can hurry beyond Time and Fate and Change. For the high angels that drive the horse of Time— The golden one by day, by night the silver— Are not more welcome to one that loves the world For some fair woman’s sake. I have called you hither To save the life of your great master, Seanchan, For all day long it has flamed up or flickered To the fast cooling hearth. OLDEST PUPIL. When did he sicken? Is it a fever that is wasting him? KING.