The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (725 page)

my son comes; he called just now. Hello, hello, hello!

Clown

Hilloa, loa!

Helloalo!

Shepherd

What, art so near? If thou'lt see a thing to talk

on when thou art dead and rotten, come hither. What

ailest thou, man?

What, you're so close? If you'd like to see a thing

you'll talk about the rest of your life, come here. What

is wrong with you, man?

Clown

I have seen two such sights, by sea and by land!

but I am not to say it is a sea, for it is now the

sky: betwixt the firmament and it you cannot thrust

a bodkin's point.

I have seen two incredible sights, on the sea and land!

But I can't really say it's the sea, because it's now the sky:

you can't see a jot of difference between the two.

Shepherd

Why, boy, how is it?

Well, boy, what is it?

Clown

I would you did but see how it chafes, how it rages,

how it takes up the shore! but that's not the

point. O, the most piteous cry of the poor souls!

sometimes to see 'em, and not to see 'em; now the

ship boring the moon with her main-mast, and anon

swallowed with yest and froth, as you'ld thrust a

cork into a hogshead. And then for the

land-service, to see how the bear tore out his

shoulder-bone; how he cried to me for help and said

his name was Antigonus, a nobleman. But to make an

end of the ship, to see how the sea flap-dragoned

it: but, first, how the poor souls roared, and the

sea mocked them; and how the poor gentleman roared

and the bear mocked him, both roaring louder than

the sea or weather.

I wish you could see how it boils, how it rages,

how it smashes on the shore! But that's not the

point. Oh, the awful cry of the poor souls!

Sometimes I saw them, sometimes I didn't; one minute

the ship seemed to be jabbing at the moon with her mast, and then

the next swallowed in froth and bubbles, like a

cork in a beer barrel. And as for what happened

on land, I saw

the bear tear out his shoulder bone, and he cried

to me for help and said his name was Antigonus, a

nobleman. But I must finish telling you about the ship, about how

the sea swallowed it: but first, how the poor souls

roared, and the sea mockingly copied them, and the poor

gentleman roared, and the bear mockingly copied him,

both of them roaring louder than the sea or the weather.

Shepherd

Name of mercy, when was this, boy?

Good heavens, when was this, boy?

Clown

Now, now: I have not winked since I saw these

sights: the men are not yet cold under water, nor

the bear half dined on the gentleman: he's at it

now.

Just now: just a blink of an eye ago:

the men are not yet cold under the water, nor

has the bear finished half the gentleman: he's eating

now.

Shepherd

Would I had been by, to have helped the old man!

I wish I had been there, to help the old man!

Clown

I would you had been by the ship side, to have

helped her: there your charity would have lacked footing.

I wish you'd been by the ship, to have

saved her: but your bravery would have been sunk.

Shepherd

Heavy matters! heavy matters! but look thee here,

boy. Now bless thyself: thou mettest with things

dying, I with things newborn. Here's a sight for

thee; look thee, a bearing-cloth for a squire's

child! look thee here; take up, take up, boy;

open't. So, let's see: it was told me I should be

rich by the fairies. This is some changeling:

open't. What's within, boy?

Great matters! Great matters! But you look here,

boy. Now bless yourself: you have seen things

dying, I have found something newborn. Here's a site for

you; look at that, a quality baptismal robe!

Look here; pick it up, pick it up, boy;

open it. So, let's see: the fairies once told me

that I would be rich. This is a changeling:

open it up. What's inside, boy?

Clown

You're a made old man: if the sins of your youth

are forgiven you, you're well to live. Gold! all gold!

You're made for life old man: if the sins of your youth

don't catch up with you, you will have a great life. Gold! All gold!

Shepherd

This is fairy gold, boy, and 'twill prove so: up

with't, keep it close: home, home, the next way.

We are lucky, boy; and to be so still requires

nothing but secrecy. Let my sheep go: come, good

boy, the next way home.

This is fairy gold, boy, you shall see: pick it up,

hold it tight: home, home, the quickest way.

We are lucky, boy; to keep our luck we need do nothing

but keep this secret. Forget about the sheep: come,

good boy, let's take the quickest way home.

Clown

Go you the next way with your findings. I'll go see

if the bear be gone from the gentleman and how much

he hath eaten: they are never curst but when they

are hungry: if there be any of him left, I'll bury

it.

You go the quickest way with your discoveries. I'll go and see

if the bear has left the gentleman yet and how much

he has eaten: they are only ever vicious when they

are hungry: if there is any of him left, I'll bury

it.

Shepherd

That's a good deed. If thou mayest discern by that

which is left of him what he is, fetch me to the

sight of him.

That will be a good deed. If there's enough of him left

to tell who he is, call me to see him.

Clown

Marry, will I; and you shall help to put him i' the ground.

Yes, I will; you can help me to bury him.

Shepherd

'Tis a lucky day, boy, and we'll do good deeds on't.

Exeunt

This is our lucky day, boy, and we should do good deeds.

SCENE I. Enter Time, the Chorus

Time

I, that please some, try all, both joy and terror

Of good and bad, that makes and unfolds error,

Now take upon me, in the name of Time,

To use my wings. Impute it not a crime

To me or my swift passage, that I slide

O'er sixteen years and leave the growth untried

Of that wide gap, since it is in my power

To o'erthrow law and in one self-born hour

To plant and o'erwhelm custom. Let me pass

The same I am, ere ancient'st order was

Or what is now received: I witness to

The times that brought them in; so shall I do

To the freshest things now reigning and make stale

The glistering of this present, as my tale

Now seems to it. Your patience this allowing,

I turn my glass and give my scene such growing

As you had slept between: Leontes leaving,

The effects of his fond jealousies so grieving

That he shuts up himself, imagine me,

Gentle spectators, that I now may be

In fair Bohemia, and remember well,

I mentioned a son o' the king's, which Florizel

I now name to you; and with speed so pace

To speak of Perdita, now grown in grace

Equal with wondering: what of her ensues

I list not prophecy; but let Time's news

Be known when 'tis brought forth.

A shepherd's daughter,

And what to her adheres, which follows after,

Is the argument of Time. Of this allow,

If ever you have spent time worse ere now;

If never, yet that Time himself doth say

He wishes earnestly you never may.

Exit

I please some, and test all: both joy and terror,

good and bad, errors committed and undone,

I will now take on, in the name of time,

and spread my wings. Do not be cross

with me, or my swift journey, if I slide

over sixteen years, and do not try to show

what happened in that time, because it is within my power

to overthrow the law, and in one hour I've made

I can create and demolish customs. Let me go,

I am the same as I was before the world began

as in these modern times. I have seen

the times when they began; and I shall see

the things of this very moment

grow old, as my tale now does.

If you will allow this,

I turn the glass over, and let the scene change

as if you had slept through the interim: abandoning Leontes,

who is so upset at the results of his foolish jealousy

that he has shut himself away, imagine,

sweet audience, that I'm now

in fair Bohemia, and remember

that a son of the king's was mentioned earlier, whom

I can now tell you is called Florizel; now let's rush on

to talk of Perdita, who has now developed a loveliness

which equals the admiration it causes. What happens to her

I shan't tell you; let the news of time

be seen when it happens. A shepherd's daughter,