While Antonio and Sebastian were discussing their scheme to murder
the King of Naples, another band of wretched creatures was plotting
mischief against the lord of the island. When Prospero had first come
to this island, he found it inhabited by a hideous young monster
called Caliban, the son of a wicked witch who had been banished there
from her own country. This witch--Sycorax--had for servant the dainty
sprite Ariel, and because Ariel refused to obey her evil commands she
imprisoned him as a punishment in the trunk of a cloven pine-tree.
Here Ariel abode in torment and misery for twelve years, during which
time Sycorax died, and left her son Caliban as the only inhabitant of
the island.
Prospero, on his arrival, set Ariel free, and took him into his own
service, and, pitying the young Caliban, he at first tried by kindness
to tame his savage nature. But all his efforts were useless. Caliban
hated everything good, and repaid Prospero’s kindness with malice and
evil doing. Prospero found that gentle means were of no avail, and
that the only way in which to keep Caliban in order was to treat him
with stern severity. For this Caliban hated his master, and was always
longing to be revenged on him.
Among those saved from the King’s ship were two worthless
scamps--Trinculo, a jester, and Stephano, a drunken butler. Caliban,
meeting them by chance, immediately begged to become their servant,
hoping by this means to escape from Prospero. He further offered to
lead them to where Prospero lay asleep, so that they might kill the
magician. It was agreed that Stephano was then to marry Miranda, and
become the lord of the island, and Caliban was to be his servant.
While they were talking, Ariel entered, invisible. He listened to
their plots, and amused himself by speaking a few words every now
and then, which soon set the conspirators quarrelling, for they none
of them knew where the voice came from, and thought it was one of
themselves mocking the others. Finally Ariel began to play mysterious
music on a pipe and tabor. Stephano and Trinculo were greatly alarmed,
but Caliban soothed them, saying that the island was full of noises
and sweet sounds which gave delight and did no hurt.
“Sometimes a thousand instruments will hum about mine ears,” he said,
“and sometimes voices, which, if I awake after a long sleep, will make
me sleep again. Then in dreams the clouds seem to open and show riches
ready to drop on me, so that when I awake I cry to dream again.”
“This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music
for nothing,” said Stephano.
“When Prospero is destroyed,” put in Caliban.
“That shall be at once,” replied Stephano.
“The sound is going away; let us follow it, and do our work
afterwards,” said Trinculo.
“Go on, monster; we will follow,” said Stephano to Caliban. “I would I
could see this taborer; he plays bravely.”
So with his mysterious music Ariel lured the three villains away. He
led them a pretty dance, through briars, sharp furze, prickly gorse,
and thorns, which ran into their poor shins; and finally he left them
in the filthy water of a stagnant pool, not far from Prospero’s cell.
* * * * *
In the meanwhile Alonso, King of Naples, and his party were still
wandering about the island; but by-and-by they grew so weary that poor
old Gonzalo declared he could go no further.
“I cannot blame you,” said King Alonso, “for I myself am dull with
weariness. Sit down and rest. Now here I give up hope that I shall
ever see my son again. He is drowned, and the sea mocks our useless
search on land.”
The traitor Antonio was delighted to see that the King had lost all
hope, and he begged Sebastian not to give up their wicked scheme
because it had been once repulsed.
“The next advantage we will take thoroughly,” Sebastian whispered back
to Antonio.
“Let it be to-night,” said Antonio, “for now they are so worn out with
travel they will not and cannot use such vigilance as when they are
fresh.”
“I say to-night,” agreed Sebastian. “No more.”
At that moment strange and solemn music was heard.
“What harmony is this?” said the King. “Hark, my good friends!”
“Marvellous sweet music!” said Gonzalo.
Unseen by them, Prospero entered, and by his magic art he caused a
number of strange and grotesque figures to appear, who brought in a
banquet. After dancing round it with gentle actions of greeting, and
inviting the King and his companions to eat, they disappeared.
“Give us kind keepers, heaven! What were these?” exclaimed the
startled King.
“If I reported this in Naples, would they believe me?” said Gonzalo.
“These must be islanders, and although they are of such strange
shapes, yet note, their manners are more gentle and kind than many of
our human race.”
“You speak well, honest lord,” said Prospero aside, “for some of you
there are worse than devils.”
“They vanished strangely,” said Francisco.
“No matter, since they left their viands behind them,” said Sebastian.
“Will it please your Majesty to taste of what is here?”
“Not I,” said Alonso.
“Faith, sir, you need not fear,” said Gonzalo.
“Well, I will eat, although it be my last meal,” said the King.
“Brother, and you, my Lord Duke of Milan, do as we do.”
At that instant there was a peal of thunder and a flash of
lightning. Ariel, in the form of a harpy, a hideous bird of prey,
flew in and flapped his wings over the table, and immediately
the banquet vanished.
“You are three men of sin, whom Destiny has cast upon this island
because you are quite unfit to live among men,” he said, addressing
Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio.
Enraged, they drew their swords, but Ariel only mocked at them.
“You fools! I and my fellows are ministers of Fate. Your swords might
as well try to wound the winds or stab the water, as hurt one feather
of my plumage. If you could hurt, your swords are now too heavy for
your strength, and you cannot lift them. But remember--for this is my
business to you--that you three supplanted the good Duke Prospero from
Milan, cast him and his innocent child adrift on the sea, which hath
now revenged it. The heavenly powers have delayed punishment for this
foul deed, but they have not forgotten it, and now they have incensed
the sea and the shore and all creatures against you. They have bereft
you, Alonso, of your son, and they pronounce by me that lingering
perdition worse than any death shall fall in this desolate island on
you and all your ways, unless you heartily repent and amend your life.”
Ariel vanished in thunder, and then to soft music entered the strange
shapes again, and, with a mocking dance, carried out the table on
which the banquet had been spread.
“Bravely done, my Ariel!” said Prospero aside, while the King of
Naples and his companions stood mute with amazement. “My charms are
working, and these my enemies are quite astounded. They are now in my
power, and here I will leave them while I visit young Ferdinand--whom
they think drowned--and his and my loved darling.”
“In the name of heaven, sir, why do you stand with that strange
stare?” asked Gonzalo of the King.
“Oh, it is monstrous, monstrous!” cried the conscience-stricken
Alonso. “I thought the billows spoke and told me of my wicked deed,
the winds sang it to me, and the thunder pronounced the name of
‘Prospero.’ Therefore my son is drowned, and I will lie with him
fathoms deep below the waves.”
So saying, he hurried from the spot, followed at once by Sebastian and
Antonio.
“All three of them are desperate,” said Gonzalo. “Their great guilt,
like poison which takes a long time to work, now begins to bite their
spirit. I do beseech you,” he added to the lords in waiting, “follow
them swiftly, and hinder them from what this madness may provoke them
to.”
“Though the Seas threaten, they are merciful”
The hard toil which Prospero had set the Prince of Naples did not last
long, and when the magician saw that the young people loved each other
sincerely he put an end to the trial, and bade them be happy together.
To give them pleasure and show them some proof of his magic powers,
he summoned a troop of beautiful spirits--Iris, Ceres, Juno, some
water-nymphs, and various reapers, who sang sweet songs to them and
danced graceful dances.
But the moment of Caliban’s plot was approaching. Prospero dismissed
the spirits, and began to prepare for punishing the conspirators.
Sending Ferdinand and Miranda to wait for him in his cell, he bade
Ariel fetch some glistening apparel, and hang it up on a line near, in
order to serve as a bait to catch the thieves.
His plan succeeded. Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo soon appeared, all
wet from the stagnant pool into which they had been lured by Ariel’s
music.
“Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not hear a footfall;
we are now near his cell,” said Caliban.
“O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! Look what a wardrobe is
here for you!” cried Trinculo, catching hold of the garments hanging
on the line.
“Let it alone, you fool; it is but trash!” said Caliban.
“Put off that gown, Trinculo,” said Stephano, equally greedy in his
turn. “By this hand, I’ll have that gown!”
“Your grace shall have it,” said Trinculo submissively.
“Why do you waste time on this rubbish?” entreated Caliban. “Let us do
the murder first. If Prospero awakens he will punish us cruelly for
this.”
“You be quiet, monster,” said Stephano rudely; and he and Trinculo
went on helping themselves to the fine clothes which Ariel had
cunningly displayed. “Come, monster, take what we leave.”
“I will have none of them,” declared Caliban. “We shall lose our time,
and if Prospero catches us, he will change us all into barnacles or
apes.”
“Help us to carry these away, or I’ll turn you out of my kingdom. Go
to, carry this!” commanded Stephano.
“And this,” added Trinculo; and they began to load poor Caliban with
their spoils.
Suddenly a noise of hunters was heard, and a band of spirits in the
shape of dogs swept along, and set upon the three guilty men, chasing
them about, while Prospero and Ariel urged on the dogs.
“Hey, Mountain, hey!”
“Silver! There it goes, Silver!”
“Fury, Fury! There, Tyrant, there! Hark, hark!”
When Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo had been driven away, Prospero
spoke to Ariel.
“Let them be hunted soundly. Now all my enemies lie at my mercy. My
labours will soon be ended, and then thou shalt be free as air. Follow
me still for a little, and do me service. Now, tell me, how fares the
King and his followers?”
“Just as you left them--all prisoners, sir, in the grove of trees
which shelters your cell. They cannot stir until you release them. The
King, his brother, and your brother are quite distracted, and their
lords are mourning over them, and chiefly he whom you termed ‘the good
old lord Gonzalo.’ Your charm affects them so strongly that if you
beheld them now you would pity them.”
“Dost thou think so, spirit?”
“I would, sir, if I were human.”
“And I will,” said Prospero. “Now that they are penitent my purpose
is accomplished. Go, release them, Ariel. I’ll break my charms. I’ll
restore their senses, and they shall be themselves.”
“I’ll fetch them, sir,” said Ariel; and he gladly hastened away to do
his master’s bidding.
Left alone, Prospero took a solemn farewell of all the powers of magic
which he had practised for so long, and declared that, after one last
charm which he was now going to work, he would break his wizard’s wand
and drown his book.
When Ariel returned with Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio, and the lords
in waiting, they all entered a charmed circle which Prospero had made,
and stood there unable to move.
“There stand, for you are spell-bound,” said Prospero. “O good
Gonzalo, my true preserver, and loyal servant to your master, I will
pay you both in word and deed. Alonso, most cruelly did you use me and
my daughter; your brother helped you in the deed--he is punished for
it now. You, brother mine, unnatural though you are--I forgive you.”
While Prospero was speaking, the King and his companions slowly began
to recover their senses; but they did not yet recognise Prospero, for
he was clad in his magic robes.
“Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell, Ariel,” he said. “I will
discard these garments, and show myself as when I was Duke of Milan.
Quickly, spirit! Thou shalt be free ere long.”
Gladly Ariel set to work, singing a gay little song as he helped to
attire his master:
“Where the bee sucks, there suck I:
In a cowslip’s bell I lie;
There I couch 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.”
Then Prospero sent him to find the King’s ship, and to bring back the
master and boatswain.
Poor old Gonzalo was greatly amazed and troubled at all the strange
things that were happening.
“Some heavenly power guide us out of this fearful country!” he
exclaimed.
“Behold, Sir King, the wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero,” said the
magician to Alonso. “To give thee more assurance that a living Prince
speaks to thee, I embrace thee, and bid a hearty welcome to thee and
thy company.”
“Whether thou be he or not, or some enchanted trifle to torment me, I
do not know,” said the bewildered King. “Thy pulse beats like flesh
and blood, and since I have seen thee my madness has abated. I resign
thy dukedom, and entreat thy pardon for my wrong-doing. But how can
Prospero be living and be here?”
“Welcome, my friends all!” said Prospero. “But you, my brace of
lords,” he added, aside to Sebastian and Antonio, “if I were so
minded, I could make his Highness frown on you and prove you traitors.
At this time I will tell no tales.”
“The devil speaks in him,” muttered Sebastian, conscious of his guilt.
“No,” replied Prospero quietly. “For you, most wicked sir,” he said
to his brother Antonio, “I forgive all your faults, and require my
dukedom of thee, which perforce I know thou must restore.”
“If you are Prospero, tell us how you were saved, and how you have
met us here,” said the King of Naples. “Three hours ago we were
wrecked upon this shore--alas, where I have lost--how bitter is the
remembrance!--my dear son Ferdinand.”
“I am sorry for it, sir,” said Prospero.
“The loss can never be made up, and is past the cure of patience.”
“I rather think you have not sought the help of patience,” said
Prospero. “For the like loss I have its sovereign aid, and rest myself
content.”
“You the like loss?”
“As great to me; for I have lost my daughter.”
“A daughter?” cried Alonso. “Oh, would that they were both living in
Naples as King and Queen! When did you lose your daughter?”
“In this last tempest,” said Prospero, smiling to himself. “But come,
no more of this. Welcome, sir; this cell is my court. I have few
attendants here, and no subjects abroad. Pray you, look in. Since
you have given me back my dukedom, I will reward you with something
equally good, or, at least, show you a wonder which will content you
as much as my dukedom does me.”
And, drawing aside the curtain which veiled the entrance to his cell,
Prospero disclosed to view Ferdinand and Miranda playing at chess.
“Sweet lord, you play me false,” said Miranda.
“No, my dearest love, I would not for the world,” said Ferdinand.
“If this prove a vision of the island, I shall lose my dear son a
second time,” murmured Alonso.
“A most high miracle!” exclaimed Sebastian.
“Though the seas threaten, they are merciful,” cried Ferdinand,
springing from his seat at the sight of his father, and falling on his
knees before him.
“Now all the blessings of a glad father compass thee about,” said
Alonso, overcome with joy to see his dear son again.
Miranda in the meanwhile was gazing in wonder at all these strange
visitors who had come to the island.
“Oh, brave new world that has such people in it!” she cried in
delight.
“Who is this maiden?” Alonso asked his son. “Is she some goddess?”
“Sir, she is mortal, and she is mine,” answered Ferdinand. “I chose
her when I thought I had no father. She is daughter to the famous Duke
of Milan, of whose renown I have so often heard.”
Then Alonso gave his blessing to the young couple, and the good
Gonzalo breathed a hearty “Amen!”
At this moment Ariel appeared, followed by the astonished master of
the King’s ship and the boatswain. They were overjoyed to see the King
and his companions again, and brought word that the ship was as safe
and bravely rigged as when they first put out to sea.
“Sir, all this service have I done since I left you,” whispered Ariel
to Prospero. “Was it well done?”
“Bravely, good spirit,” said Prospero. “Thou shalt soon be free.”
Then he commanded him to go and take off the spell from Caliban and
his companions, and after a few minutes’ absence Ariel returned
driving in the three men, clad in their stolen apparel.
“Mark these men, my lords,” said Prospero. “These three have robbed
me, and this witch’s son had plotted with the others to take my life.
Two of these fellows you must know and own; this thing of darkness I
acknowledge mine.”
“Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?” said the King of Naples.
“Why, how now, Stephano?” said Sebastian mockingly.
“You would be King of the isle, sirrah?” demanded Prospero.
“I should have been a sore one, then,” groaned Stephano, for he and
his worthless friends were still aching all over from the punishment
inflicted on them.
“That is as strange a thing as ever I looked on,” said Alonso,
pointing to Caliban.
“His manners are as ugly as his appearance,” answered Prospero. “Go,
sirrah, to my cell. Take your companions with you, and if you hope to
have my pardon, behave properly.”
“Ay, that I will,” said Caliban; “and I will be wise hereafter, and
try to be better. What a thrice-double ass I was to take that drunkard
for my master!”
And he departed with his companions, glad to have escaped so lightly.
Then Prospero invited the King and his other guests into his cell,
where they were to rest for one night. The next morning they were all
to set sail for Naples, where the marriage between Prince Ferdinand
and Miranda was to take place, after which Prospero would retire to
his own dukedom of Milan. Finally he gave his last charge to Ariel,
and bade him see that the King’s ship should have calm seas and fair
winds to waft it quickly on its way.
“My Ariel, chick, that is thy charge,” said Prospero. “Then be free as
the elements, and fare thee well!”