The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (699 page)

JAILER

This morning.

This morning.

WOOER

Was she well? Was she in health?

Sir, when did she sleep?

What she well? Was she healthy?

Sir, had she slept?

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

These are strange questions.

These are strange questions.

JAILER

I do not think she was very well, for, now

You make me mind her, but this very day

I ask’d her questions, and she answered me

So far from what she was, so childishly,

So sillily, as if she were a fool,

An innocent, and I was very angry.

But what of her, sir?

I don't think she is very well, for, now

you make me think of her, just today

I asked her questions, and she answered me

so differently from normal, so childishly,

so stupidly, as if she were a fool,

a baby, and I was very angry.

But what about her, sir?

WOOER

Nothing but my pity.

But you must know it, and as good by me

As by another that less loves her.

 Nothing except for my pity.

But you must know about it, and it's just as well coming from me

as from someone else who loves her less.

JAILER

Well, sir?

Well, sir?

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Not right?

Is she not right?

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Not well?

Not well?

WOOER

No, sir, not well:

’Tis too true, she is mad.

No, sir, not well:

sorry to say, she is mad.

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

It cannot be.

She can't be.

WOOER

Believe. You’ll find it so.

Believe it, you will find she is.

JAILER

I half suspected

What you told me. The gods comfort her!

Either this was her love to Palamon,

Or fear of my miscarrying on his scape,

Or both.

I half suspected

what you told me. May the good gods bring her comfort!

This was caused by her love for Palamon,

or the thought of my being punished for his escape,

or both.

WOOER

’Tis likely.

That seems likely.

JAILER

But why all this haste, sir?

But why are you in such a hurry, sir?

WOOER

I’ll tell you quickly. As I late was angling

In the great lake that lies behind the palace,

From the far shore, thick set with reeds and sedges,

As patiently I was attending sport,

I heard a voice, a shrill one; and attentive

I gave my ear, when I might well perceive

’Twas one that sung, and by the smallness of it,

A boy or woman. I then left my angle

To his own skill, came near, but yet perceiv’d not

Who made the sound, the rushes and the reeds

Had so encompass’d it. I laid me down

And list’ned to the words she sung, for then

Through a small glade cut by the fishermen,

I saw it was your daughter.

I'll tell you quickly. As I was fishing recently

in the great lake that lies behind the palace,

I was patiently waiting for a catch

on the far shore, which is thickly covered with reeds and grass,

I heard a voice, a shrill one; and I listened

carefully, and I realised that it was obviously,

from the littleness of it, sung by

a boy or a woman. So I left my hook

to its own devices and went closer, but I couldn't see

who was making the noise, the rushes and the reeds

were so thick around. I laid down

and listen to the words she was singing, for then

I saw it was your daughter through a small clearing

cut by the fishermen.

JAILER

Pray go on, sir.

Please go on, sir.

WOOER

She sung much, but no sense; only I heard her

Repeat this often, “Palamon is gone,

Is gone to th’ wood to gather mulberries.

I’ll find him out tomorrow.”

She sang a lot, but made no sense; but I heard her

repeat this often; “Palamon is gone,

he's gone into the woods to gather mulberries.

I'll find him tomorrow."

FIRST FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Pretty soul!

Sweet soul!

WOOER

“His shackles will betray him, he’ll be taken,

And what shall I do then? I’ll bring a bevy,

A hundred black-ey’d maids that love as I do,

With chaplets on their heads of daffadillies,

With cherry lips and cheeks of damask roses,

And all we’ll dance an antic ’fore the Duke,

And beg his pardon.” Then she talk’d of you, sir:

That you must lose your head tomorrow morning,

And she must gather flowers to bury you,

And see the house made handsome. Then she sung

Nothing but “Willow, willow, willow,” and between

Ever was “Palamon, fair Palamon,”

And “Palamon was a tall young man.” The place

Was knee-deep where she sat; her careless tresses

A wreath of bulrush rounded; about her stuck

Thousand fresh water-flowers of several colors,

That methought she appear’d like the fair nymph

That feeds the lake with waters, or as Iris

Newly dropp’d down from heaven. Rings she made

Of rushes that grew by, and to ’em spoke

The prettiest posies—“Thus our true love’s tied,”

“This you may loose, not me,” and many a one;

And then she wept, and sung again, and sigh’d,

And with the same breath smil’d, and kiss’d her hand.

“His shackles will give him away, he'll be captured,

and what shall I do then? I'll bring a group of

a hundred black eyed girls that love as I do,

with crowns of daffodils on their heads,

with cherry lips and cheeks blushing pink,

and we'll all dance a mad dance before the Duke,

and beg for his pardon." Then she spoke of you, sir:

that you would lose your head tomorrow morning,

and that she must gather flowers for your funeral,

and see that the house was tidy. Then she sang

nothing but “Willow, Willow, Willow," and in between

it was always “Palamon, fair Palamon,"

and “Palamon was a tall young man." The place

she was sitting was knee deep; her careless hair

was trailing in the bulrushes; all around her there were

a thousand fresh water flowers of different colours,

so I thought that she looked like the beautiful nymph

that runs the waters into the lake, or like Iris

just come down from heaven. She made circlets

out of the nearby rushes, and said the

sweetest little poems to them–“This is how our true love is tied,"

“you can unite this, not me," and many others;

and then she wept, and sang again, and sighed,

and at the same time smiled, and kissed her hand.

SECOND FRIEND OF THE JAILER

Alas, what pity it is!

Alas, what a shame it is!

WOOER

I made in to her.

She saw me, and straight sought the flood. I sav’d her,

And set her safe to land; when presently

She slipp’d away, and to the city made

With such a cry and swiftness that, believe me,

She left me far behind her. Three or four

I saw from far off cross her—one of ’em

I knew to be your brother; where she stay’d,

And fell, scarce to be got away. I left them with her,

And hither came to tell you.

Enter Jailer’s Brother, Daughter, and others.

Here they are.

I went in after her.

She saw me, and tried at once to get to the deep parts. I saved her,

and got her safely on land; then shortly

she slipped away, and made off for the city

with such noise and speed that, believe me,

she left me far behind. I saw three or four

people accost her from a distance–one of them

I knew was your brother; she stayed with him,

she fell down, they could hardly carry her away. I left them with her,

and came here to tell you.

Here they are.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Sings.

“May you never more enjoy the light,” etc.

Is not this a fine song?

“May you never enjoy the light again,”

isn't that a fine song?

JAILER BROTHER

O, a very fine one!

Oh, a very fine one!

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

I can sing twenty more.

I can sing twenty more.

JAILER BROTHER

I think you can.

I think you can.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Yes, truly, can I. I can sing “The Broom,”

And “Bonny Robin.” Are not you a tailor?

Yes, certainly I can. I can sing, “The Broom,"

and “Bonny Robin." Aren't you a tailor?

JAILER BROTHER

Yes.

I am.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Where’s my wedding gown?

Where’s my wedding gown?

JAILER BROTHER

I’ll bring it tomorrow.

I'll bring it tomorrow.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Do, very early, I must be abroad else,

To call the maids and pay the minstrels,

For I must lose my maidenhead by cocklight,

’Twill never thrive else.

Sings.

“O fair, O sweet,” etc.

Do, very early, I have to go out

to summon the bridesmaids and pay the musicians,

for I must lose my virginity before dawn,

nothing else will do.

“Oh fair, oh sweet,”

JAILER BROTHER

You must ev’n take it patiently.

You must suffer this patiently.

JAILER

’Tis true.

That's true.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Good ev’n, good men. Pray did you ever hear

Of one young Palamon?

Good evening, good man. Tell me, did you ever hear

of one young Palamon?

JAILER

Yes, wench, we know him.

Yes, girl, we know him.

JAILER’S DAUGHTER

Is’t not a fine young gentleman?