Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8Sylvester, Charles Herbert
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Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8
Sylvester, Charles Herbert
Children's literature; Literature -- Collections
_Cal._ [_Aside._] These be fine things, an if[415-25] they be not sprites.
That's a brave god, and bears celestial liquor:
I will kneel to him.
_Steph._ How didst thou 'scape? How camest thou hither? swear, by this
bottle, how thou camest hither. I escaped upon a butt of sack,[415-26]
which the sailors heaved o'erboard, by this bottle! which I made of the
bark of a tree with mine 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.
_Steph._ Here; swear, man, how thou escapedst.
_Trin._ Swam ashore, man, like a duck: I can swim like a duck, I'll be
sworn.
_Steph._ Here kiss the book. [_Gives him drink._] Though thou canst swim
like a duck, thou art made like a goose.
_Trin._ O Stephano, hast any more of this?
_Steph._ The whole butt, man: my cellar is in a rock by the sea-side,
where my wine is hid.--How now, moon-calf! how does thine ague?
_Cal._ Hast thou not dropp'd from heaven?
_Steph._ Out o' the Moon, I do assure thee: I was the Man-i'-the-moon
when time was.
_Cal._ I've seen thee in her, and I do adore thee:
My mistress show'd me thee, and thy dog, and thy bush.[416-27]
_Steph._ Come, swear to that; kiss the book: I will furnish it anon with
new contents: swear. [_Gives CALIBAN drink._
_Trin._ By this good light, this is a very shallow monster!--I afeared
of him!--a very weak monster!--_The Man-i'-the-moon!_--a most poor
credulous monster!--Well drawn,[416-28] monster, in good sooth.
_Cal._ I'll show thee every fertile inch o' the island;
And I will kiss thy foot: I pr'ythee, be my god.
_Trin._ By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster! when his
god's asleep, he'll rob his bottle.
_Cal._ I'll kiss thy foot; I'll swear myself thy subject.
_Steph._ 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 my heart to beat him,--
_Steph._ Come, kiss. [_Gives CALIBAN drink._
_Trin._--but that the poor monster's in drink: an abominable monster!
_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 of a poor drunkard!
_Cal._ I pr'ythee, let me bring thee where crabs grow;
And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts;[417-29]
Show thee a jay's nest, and instruct thee how
To snare the nimble marmozet; I'll bring thee
To clustering filberts, and sometimes I'll get thee
Young staniels[417-30] from the rock. Wilt thou go with me?
_Steph._ I pr'ythee now, lead the way without any more talking.
Trinculo, the King and all our company else being drown'd, we will
inherit here. Here, bear my bottle: fellow Trinculo, we'll fill him
by-and-by again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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