Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Adaptations; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Stories, plots, etc. -- Juvenile literature
“Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Hark! now I hear them--Ding-dong, bell.”
This strange news of his lost father soon roused the prince from
the stupid fit into which he had fallen. He followed in amazement
the sound of Ariel’s voice, till it led him to Prospero and
Miranda, who were sitting under the shade of a large tree. Now
Miranda had never seen a man before, except her own father.
“Miranda,” said Prospero, “tell me what you are looking at
yonder.”
“Oh, father,” said Miranda, in a strange surprise, “surely that
is a spirit. Lord! how it looks about! Believe me, sir, it is a
beautiful creature. Is it not a spirit?”
“No, girl,” answered her father; “it eats, and sleeps, and has
senses such as we have. This young man you see was in the ship.
He is somewhat altered by grief, or you might call him a handsome
person. He has lost his companions, and is wandering about to
find them.”
Miranda, who thought all men had grave faces and gray beards like
her father, was delighted with the appearance of this beautiful
young prince; and Ferdinand, seeing such a lovely lady in this
desert place, and from the strange sounds he had heard, expecting
nothing but wonders, thought be was upon an enchanted island, and
that Miranda was the goddess of the place, and as such he began
to address her.
She timidly answered, she was no goddess, but a simple maid and
was going to give him an account of herself, when Prospero
interrupted her. He was well pleased to find they admired each
other, for he plainly perceived they had (as we say) fallen in
love at first sight: but to try Ferdinand’s constancy, he
resolved to throw some difficulties in their way: therefore,
advancing forward, be addressed the prince with a stern air,
telling him, he came to the island as a spy, to take it from him
who was the lord of it. “Follow me,” said be. “I will tie your
neck and feet together. You shall drink sea-water; shell-fish,
withered roots, and husks of acorns shall be your food.”
“No,” said Ferdinand, “I will resist such entertainment till I
see a more powerful enemy,” and drew his sword; but Prospero,
waving his magic wand, fixed him to the spot where he stood, so
that he had no power to move.
Miranda hung upon her father, saying: “Why are you so ungentle?
Have pity, I will be his surety. This is the second man I ever
saw, and to me he seems a true one.”
“Silence!” said the father. “One word more will make me chide
you, girl! What! an advocate for an impostor! You think there are
no more such fine men, having seen only him and Caliban. I tell
you, foolish girl, most men as far excel this as he does
Calliban.” This he said to prove his daughter’s constancy; and
she replied:
“My affections are most humble. I have no wish to see a goodlier
man.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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