Tales from Shakespeare | Page 6

had so kindly provided Prospero formerly with books and
provisions, when his wicked brother left him, as he thought, to perish in
an open boat in the sea.
Grief and terror had so stupefied their senses, that they did not know
Prospero. He first discovered himself to the good old Gonzalo, calling
him the preserver of his life; and then his brother and the king knew
that he was the injured Prospero.
Antonio with tears, and sad words of sorrow and true repentance,
implored his brother's forgiveness, and the king expressed his sincere
remorse for having assisted Antonio to depose his brother: and
Prospero forgave them and, upon their engaging to restore his dukedom,
he said to the king of Naples: 'I have a gift in store for you too'; and
opening a door, showed him his son Ferdinand playing at chess with
Miranda.
Nothing could exceed the joy of the father and the son at this
unexpected meeting, for they each thought the other drowned in the
storm.
'O wonder!' said Miranda, 'what noble creatures these are! It must
surely be a brave world that has such people in it.'
The king of Naples was almost as much astonished at the beauty and
excellent graces of the young Miranda, as his son had been. 'Who is
this maid?' said he; 'she seems the goddess that has parted us, and
brought us thus together.' 'No, sir,' answered Ferdinand, smiling to find
his father had fallen into the same mistake that he had done when he
first saw Miranda, 'she is a mortal but by immortal Providence she is
mine; I chose her when I could not ask you, my father, for your consent,
not thinking you were alive. She is the daughter to this Prospero, who
is the famous duke of Milan, of whose renown I have heard so much,

but never saw him till now: of him I have received a new life: he has
made himself to me a second father, giving me this dear lady.'
'Then I must be her father,' said the king; 'but oh! how oddly will it
sound, that I must ask my child forgiveness.'
'No more of that,' said Prospero: 'let us not remember our troubles past,
since they so happily have ended.' And then Prospero embraced his
brother, and again assured him of his forgiveness; and said that a wise
overruling Providence had permitted that he should be driven from his
poor dukedom of Milan, that his daughter might inherit the crown of
Naples, for that by their meeting in this desert island, it had happened
that the king's son had loved Miranda.
These kind words which Prospero spoke, meaning to comfort his
brother, so filled Antonio with shame and remorse, that he wept and
was unable to speak; and the kind old Gonzalo wept to see this joyful
reconciliation, and prayed for blessings on the young couple.
Prospero now told them that their ship was safe in the harbour, and the
sailors all on board her, and that he and his daughter would accompany
them home the next morning. 'In the meantime,' says he, 'partake of
such refreshments as my poor cave affords; and for your evening's
entertainment I will relate the history of my life from my first landing
in this desert island.' He then called for Caliban to prepare some food,
and set the cave in order; and the company were astonished at the
uncouth form and savage appearance of this ugly monster, who
(Prospero said) was the only attendant he had to wait upon him.
Before Prospero left the island, he dismissed Ariel from his service, to
the great joy of that lively little spirit; who, though he had been a
faithful servant to his master, was always longing to enjoy his free
liberty, to wander uncontrolled in the air, like a wild bird, under green
trees, among pleasant fruits, and sweet-smelling flowers. 'My quaint
Ariel,' said Prospero to the little sprite when he made him free, 'I shall
miss you; yet you shall have your freedom.' 'Thank you, my dear
master,' said Ariel; 'but give me leave to attend your ship home with
prosperous gales, before you bid farewell to the assistance of your

faithful spirit; and then, master, when I am free, how merrily I shall
live!' Here Ariel sung this pretty song:
Where the bee sucks there suck I; In a cowslip's bell I lie; There I
crouch when owls do cry. On the bat's back I do fly After summer
merrily. Merrily, merrily shall I live now Under the blossom that hangs
on the bough.'
Prospero then buried deep in the earth his magical books and wand, for
he was resolved never more to make use of the magic art. And having
thus overcome his enemies.