Tales from Shakespeare | Page 8

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 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 sang this pretty song:
"Where the bee sucks, there suck !; 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, and being reconciled to his brother and the
King of Naples, nothing now remained to complete his happiness but to
revisit his native land, to take possession of his dukedom, and to
witness the happy nuptials of his daughter and Prince Ferdinand, which
the king said should be instantly celebrated with great splendor on their
return to Naples. At which place, under the safe convoy of the spirit
Ariel they, after a pleasant voyage, soon arrived.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
There was a law in the city of Athens which gave to its citizens the
power of compelling their daughters to marry whomsoever they pleased;
for upon a daughter's refusing to marry the man her father had chosen
to be her husband, the father was empowered by this law to cause her to
be put to death; but as fathers do not often desire the death of their own
daughters, even though they do happen to prove a little refractory, this
law was seldom or never put in execution, though perhaps the young
ladies of that city were not unfrequently threatened by their parents
with the terrors of it.
There was one instance, however, of an old man, whose name was
Egeus, who actually did come before Theseus (at that time the reigning
Duke of Athens), to complain that his daughter whom he had
commanded to marry Demetrius, a young man of a noble Athenian
family, refused to obey him, because she loved another young Athenian,
named Lysander. Egeus demanded justice of Theseus, and desired that
this cruel law might be put in force against his daughter.
Hermia pleaded in excuse for her disobedience that Demetrius had
formerly professed love for her dear friend Helena, and that Helena
loved Demetrius to distraction; but this honorable reason, which
Hermia gave for not obeying her father's command, moved not the
stern Egeus.
Theseus, though a great and merciful prince, had no power to alter the
laws of his country; therefore he could only give Hermia four days to
consider of it: and at the end of that time, if she still refused to marry
Demetrius, she was to be put to death.
When Hermia was dismissed from the presence of the duke, she went
to her lover Lysander and told him the peril she was in, and that she
must either give him up and marry Demetrius or lose her life in four
days.
Lysander was in great affliction at hearing these evil tidings; but,
recollecting that be had an aunt who lived at some distance from
Athens, and that at the place where she lived the cruel law could not be
put in force against Hermia (this law not extending beyond the
boundaries of the city), he proposed to Hermia that she should steal out
of her father's house that night, and go with him to his aunt's house,
where he would marry her. "I will meet you," said Lysander, "in the

wood a few miles without the city; in that delightful wood where we
have so often walked with Helena in the pleasant month of May."
To this proposal Hermia joyfully agreed; and she told