A deal I'd sweat and little earn

If I should live as live the neighbours,'

Cried the beggar, Billy Byrne;

'Stretch bones till the daylight come

On great-grandfather's battered tomb.'

Upon a grey old battered tombstone

In Glendalough beside the stream,

Where the O'Byrnes and Byrnes are buried,

He stretched his bones and fell in a dream

Of sun and moon that a good hour

Bellowed and pranced in the round tower;

[18]

Of golden king and silver lady,

Bellowing up and bellowing round,

Till toes mastered a sweet measure,

Mouth mastered a sweet sound,

Prancing round and prancing up

Until they pranced upon the top.

That golden king and that wild lady

Sang till stars began to fade,

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