Scene II

Another part of the island.

[Enter Caliban carrying a burden of wood

CALIBAN:

All the infections that the sun sucks up
From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
By inch-meal disease! [A noise of thunder heard]
His spirits hear me,
And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch,(5)
Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i'th’ 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.(15)

[Enter Trinculo]

Lo, now, lo,!
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.

CALIBAN:

All the diseases that the sun sucks up
From bogs, swamps, flats, fall on Prospero and make him
A disease inch by inch! His spirits listen to me,
And yet I have to curse. But they won’t pinch me,
Frighten me with goblin shows, pitch me into the muck,
Or lead me, like a piece of burning wood, in the dark,
Out of my way, unless he orders them, only
For every little thing they are supposed to set on me:
Sometimes like apes that chew and chatter at me,
And, afterwards, bite me; then like hedge-hogs which
Roll across my bare-foot path, and aim
Their needless at my step; sometimes I am
All wound up with black snakes, who hiss me
Into madness with their forked tongues.— Look, now, look!
Here comes a spirit of his, to torment me
For bringing in wood too slowly. I'll fall down flat;
Maybe he won’t notice me.

TRINC:

Here's neither bush nor shrub to bear off any weather at(20)
all, and another storm brewing. I hear it sing i'th’ wind. Yon
same black cloud, yon huge one, looks like a foul bombard
that would shed his liquor. If it should thunder as it did
before, I know now where to hide my head. Yon same cloud
cannot choose but fall by pailfuls. [sees Caliban] What have(25)
we here—a man or a fish?—dead or alive? A fish: he 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(30)
would this monster make a man. Any strange beast there
makes a man. When they will not give a dolt 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(35)
fish, but an islander that hath lately suffered by a thunderbolt. [Thunder]
Alas, the storm is come again! My best way
is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no other shelter
heareabout. Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.
I will here, shroud till the dregs of the storm be past.(40)

TRINC:

There's no bush or shrub to fight off any
weather at all, and another storm is brewing; I hear it
singing in the wind; other there, same black cloud, other there, a huge one,
looks like a foul liquor bottle that would lose its liquor. If
it should thunder as it did before, I don’t know where to
hide my head: other there, same cloud can’t choose but fall by
bucketfuls.—What have we here? A man or a fish? Dead or
alive? A fish: he smells like a fish: a very old and
fish-like smell; a kind that’s not like the freshest small fish. A
strange fish! I wish I were in England now,—as I once was, and
had only this fish painted, not a holiday fool there
would give a piece of silver: there would this monster
make a man; any strange beast there makes a man. When
they won’t give a penny to relieve a lame beggar, they
will lay out ten dollars to see a dead Indian. He has legs like a
man, and his fins look like arms! Warm, honestly! I now
give my opinion: hold it no longer; this is no
fish, but an islander, that has lately been struck by
lightning. [Thunder] Alas, the storm has come again! I’d better
Creep under his covering; there is no
other shelter nearby: misery makes a man friends with
strange bedfellows. I will stay covered here until the last
of the storm is over.

[He crawls under Caliban's cloak]

[Enter Stephano, singing, a bottle in his hand]

STEPH:

I shall no more to sea, to sea,
Here shall I die ashore—
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!’(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.

STEPH:

I shall go no more to sea, to sea,
Here shall I die on shore:—
This is a very nasty tune to sing at a man's funeral:
Well, here's my comfort. The master, the swabber, the officer in charge, and I,
The gunner, and his mate,
Loved Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,
But none of us cared for Kate:
Because she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a sailor “Go hang!”
She didn’t love the taste of tar or of pitch,
Yet a tailor might scratch her wherever she itched.
Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang.
This is a nasty tune too: but here's my comfort.

[Drinks]

CALIBAN:

[to Trinculo] Do not torment me! O!(55)

CALIBAN:

Don’t torment me: Oh!

STEPH;

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 nostrils.

STEPH;

What's the matter? Do we have devils here? Do you
play tricks on us with savages and men of India? Ha! I
have not escaped drowning to be afraid now of your four
legs; because it has been said, “As proper a man as ever
went on four legs can’t make him give ground”: and it
shall be said so again, while Stephano still breathes through
His nostrils.

CALIBAN:

The spirits torments me. O!

CALIBAN:

The spirit torments me: Oh!

STEPH:

This is some monster of the isle with four legs, who
hath got, as I tak it, an ague. Where the devil should he
learn our language? I will give him some relief, if it be but(65)
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.

STEPH:

This is some monster of the island with four legs,
who has got, as I take it, malaria. Where the devil
should he learn our language? I will give him some
relief, if it’s only for that; if I can help him and
keep him tame and get to Naples with him, he's a
present for any emperor that ever walked in cowhide shoes.

CALIBAN:

[to Trinculo] Do not torment me, prithee! I'll bring
my wood home faster.

CALIBAN:

Don’t torment me, please; I'll bring my wood
home faster.

STEPH:

He's in his fit now, and does not talk after the wisest.(70)
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.

STEPH:

He's having a fit now and doesn’t talk
sense. He shall taste of my bottle: if he has never
drunk wine before, it will go close to curing his fit. If
I can help him, and keep him tame, I won’t take
too much for him: he shall pay for him that has him,
and that dearly.

CALIBAN:

[to Trinculo] Thou dost me yet but little hurt. Thou(75)
wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling. Now Prosper
works upon thee.

CALIBAN:

You still do me only little hurt; you will hurt me more soon,
I know it by your shaking: now Prospero’s magic works on you.

STEPH:

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.

STEPH:

Come on: open your mouth; here is
stuff that will give language to you, cat. Open your
mouth: this will shake your shaking, I can tell you, and
that soundly [gives CALIBAN a drink]: you can’t tell who's your
friend: open your mouth again.

[Caliban drinks]

TRINC:

I should know that voice. It should be—but he is
drowned, and these are devils. O, defend me!

TRINC:

I should know that voice: it should be—but he is
drowned; and these are devils. Oh! Defend me.

STEPH:

Four legs and two voices—a most delicate monster!
His forward voice now is to speak well of his friend; his(85)
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. [Caliban drinks] Amen! I will pour some in
thy other mouth.

STEPH:

Four legs and two voices; a most delicate monster!
His forward voice now is speaking well of his
friend; his backward voice is uttering dirty speeches and
insults. If all the wine in my bottle will help
him, I will help his malaria. Come. Amen! I will pour some
in your other mouth.

TRINC:

Stephano!(90)

TRINC:

Stephano!

STEPH:

Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy, mercy! This is
a devil, and no monster. I will leave him. I have no long
spoon.

STEPH:

Does your other mouth call me? Mercy! mercy!
This is a devil and no monster: I will leave him: I
don’t have such a long spoon.

TRINC:

Stephano! If thou beest Stephano, touch me and speak
to me, for I am Trinculo—be not afeard—thy good friend(95)
Trinculo.

TRINC:

Stephano!—If you are Stephano, touch me, and
speak to me; because I am Trinculo:—don’t be afraid—your good
friend Trinculo.

STEPH:

If thou beest Trinculo, come forth. I'll pull thee by the
lesser legs. If any be Trinculo's legs, these are they. [He pulls
Trinculo out from under Caliban's cloak by the legs] Thou art
very Trinculo indeed! How cam'st thou to be the siege of(100)
this moon-calf? can he vent Trinculos?

STEPH:

If you are Trinculo, come out. I'll pull
you by the lesser legs: if any of these are Trinculo's legs, these
they are. You are very Trinculo indeed! How did you come
to be the attack of this dreamer? Can he spit out Trinculos?

TRINC:

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,(105)
Stephano? O Stephano, two Neapolitans scaped!

TRINC:

I took him to be killed with lightning.
But aren’t you drowned, Stephano? I hope now you aren’t
drowned. Hass the storm blown over? I hid myself under the
dead dreamer’s covering because I was afraid of the storm. And
are you living, Stephano? O Stephano, two Neapolitans
escaped!