Gon. Now, good angels Preserve the king! [They wake.
Alon. Why, how now? ho, awake!—Why are you drawn?
Wherefore this ghastly looking?
Gon. II. 1. 300 What’s the matter?
Seb. Whiles we stood here securing your repose, Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing Like bulls, or rather lions: did’t not wake you?
It struck mine ear most terribly.
Alon. I heard nothing.
305 Ant. O, ’twas a din to fright a monster’s ear, To make an earthquake! sure, it was the roar Of a whole herd of lions.
Alon. Heard you this, Gonzalo?
Gon. Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming, And that a strange one too, which did awake me: 310 I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes open’d, I saw their weapons drawn:—there was a noise, That’s verily. ’Tis best we stand upon our guard, Or that we quit this place: let’s draw our weapons.
Alon. Lead off this ground; and let’s make further search For my poor son.
Gon. 315 Heavens keep him from these beasts!
For he is, sure, i’ th’ island.
Alon. Lead away.
Ari. Prospero my lord shall know what I have done: So, king, go safely on to seek thy son. [Exeunt.
II. 2 S II. Another part of the island.
Enter C with a burden of wood. A noise of thunder heard.
Cal. All the infections that the sun sucks up From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me, And yet I needs must curse. But they’ll nor pinch, 5 Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i’ the mire, Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark
Out of my way, unless he bid ’em: but For every trifle are they set upon me; Sometime like apes, that mow and chatter at me, 10 And after bite me; then like hedgehogs, which Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues
Do hiss me into madness.
Enter T .
Lo, now, lo!
15 Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me For bringing wood in slowly. I’ll fall flat; Perchance he will not mind me.
Trin. Here’s neither bush nor shrub, to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing; I hear it sing i’ 20 the wind: yond same black cloud, yond huge one, looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor. If it should thunder as it did before, I know not where to hide my head: yond same cloud cannot choose but fall by pailfuls. What have we here? a man or a fish? dead or alive? A fish: he II. 2. 25 smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell; a kind of not of the newest Poor-John. A strange fish! Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver: there would this monster make a man; any strange 30 beast there makes a man: when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian.
Legged like a man! and his fins like arms! Warm o’ my troth! I do now let loose my opinion; hold it no longer: this is no fish, but an islander,
that hath lately suffered 35 by a thunderbolt. [Thunder.] Alas, the storm is come again! my best way is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no other shelter hereabout: misery acquaints a man with strange bed- fellows. I will here shroud till the dregs of the storm be past.
Enter S , singing: a bottle in his hand.
40 Ste. I shall no more to sea, to sea,
Here shall I die a-shore,—
This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man’s funeral: well, here’s my comfort. [Drinks.
[Sings. The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I,
45 The gunner, and his mate,
Loved Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,
But none of us cared for Kate;
For she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a sailor, Go hang!
II. 2. 50 She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch;
Yet a tailor might scratch her where’er she did itch.
Then, to sea, boys, and let her go hang!
This is a scurvy tune too: but here’s my comfort. [Drinks.
Cal. Do not torment me:—O!
55 Ste. What’s the matter? Have we devils here? Do you put tricks upon ’s with savages and men of Ind, ha? I have not scaped drowning, to be afeard now of your four legs; for it hath been said, As proper a man as ever went on four legs cannot make him give ground; and it shall be 60 said so again, while Stephano breathes at’s nostrils.
Cal. The spirit torments me:—O!
Ste. This is some monster of the isle with four legs, who hath got, as I take it, an ague. Where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him some relief, if it be 65 but for that. If I can recover him, and keep him tame, and get to Naples with him, he’s a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat’s-leather.
Cal. Do not torment me, prithee; I’ll bring my wood home faster.
70 Ste. He’s in his fit now, and does not talk after the wisest. He shall taste of my bottle: if he have never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit. If I can recover him, and keep him tame, I will not take too much for him; he shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.
II. 2. 75 Cal. Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling: now Prosper works upon thee.
Ste. Come on your ways; open your mouth; here is that which will give language to you, cat: open your mouth; this will shake your shaking, I can tell you, and that soundly: 80 you cannot tell who’s your friend: open your chaps again.
Trin. I should know that voice: it should be—but he is drowned; and these are devils:—O defend me!
Ste. Four legs and two voices,—a most delicate monster! His forward voice, now, is to speak well of his friend; 85 his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover him, I will help his ague. Come:—Amen! I will pour some in
thy other mouth.
Trin. Stephano!
90 Ste. Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy, mercy! This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave him; I have no long spoon.
Trin. Stephano! If thou beest Stephano, touch me, and speak to me; for I am Trinculo,—be not afeard,—thy 95 good friend Trinculo.
Ste. If thou beest Trinculo, come forth: I’ll pull thee by the lesser legs: if any be Trinculo’s legs, these are they. Thou art very Trinculo indeed!
How earnest thou to be the siege of this moon-calf? can he vent Trinculos?
II. 2. 100 Trin. I took him to be killed with a thunder-stroke. But art thou not drowned, Stephano? I hope, now, thou art not drowned. Is the storm overblown? I hid me under the dead moon-calf’s gaberdine for fear of the storm. And art thou living, Stephano? O Stephano, two Neapolitans 105 scaped!
Ste. Prithee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not constant.
Cal. [aside] These be fine things, an if they be not sprites.
That’s a brave god, and bears celestial liquor: 110 I will kneel to him.
Ste. How didst thou ’scape? How camest thou hither? swear, by this bottle, how thou camest hither. I escaped upon a butt of sack, which the sailors heaved o’erboard, by this bottle! which I made of the bark of a tree with mine 115 own hands, since I was cast ashore.
Cal. I’ll swear, upon that bottle, to be thy true subject; for the liquor is not earthly.
Ste. Here; swear, then, how thou escapedst.
Trin. Swum ashore, man, like a duck: I can swim 120 like a duck, I’ll be sworn.
Ste. Here, kiss the book. Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose.
Trin. O Stephano, hast any more of this?
Ste. The whole butt, man: my cellar is in a rock by II. 2. 125 the sea-side, where my wine is hid. How now, moon-calf! how does thine ague?
Cal. Hast thou not dropp’d from heaven?
Ste. Out o’ the moon, I do assure thee: I was the man i’ the moon when time was.
130 Cal. I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee: My mistress show’d me thee, and thy dog, and thy bush.
Ste. Come, swear to that; kiss the book: I will furnish it anon with new contents: swear.
Trin. By this good light, this is a very shallow monster! 135 I afeard of him! A very weak monster! The man i’ the moon! A most poor credulous monster! Well drawn, monster, in good sooth!
Cal. I’ll show thee every fertile inch o’ th’ island; And I will kiss thy foot: I prithee, be my god.
140 Trin. By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster! when’s god’s asleep, he’ll rob his bottle.
Cal. I’ll kiss thy foot; I’ll swear myself thy subject.
Ste. Come on, then; down, and swear.
Trin. I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-headed monster.
A most scurvy monster! I could find in 145 my heart to beat him,— Ste. Come, kiss.
Trin. But that the poor monster’s in drink: an abominable monster!
II. 2. 150 Cal. I’ll show thee the best springs; I’ll pluck thee berries; I’ll fish for thee, and get thee wood enough.
A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!
I’ll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee, Thou wondrous man.
Trin. A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder 155 of a poor drunkard!
Cal. I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow; And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts; Show thee a jay’s nest, and instruct thee how 160 To snare the nimble marmoset; I’ll bring thee To clustering filberts, and sometimes I’ll get thee Young scamels from the rock. Wilt thou go with me?
Ste. I prithee now, lead the way, without any more talking. Trinculo, the king and all our company else being drowned, 165 we will inherit here: here; bear my bottle: fellow Trinculo, we’ll fill him by and by again.
Cal. sings drunkenly.] Farewell, master; farewell, farewell!
Trin. A howling monster; a drunken monster!
Cal. No more dams I’ll make for fish;
170 Nor fetch in firing
At requiring;
Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish:
’Ban, ’Ban, Cacaliban
