The Tempest - I

[The Tempest is the name of a play written by Shakespeare. You can read

the stories of many Shakespearean plays in the Tales from Shakespeare by

Charles and Mary Lamb.]

I

On a lonely island in the sea there once

lived three people, a wise old man named

Prospero, his beautiful young daughter Miranda,

and their servant Caliban. Father and daughter

had come to the island twelve years before,

when Miranda was a mere baby. She could

hardly remember having seen any human face

except her father’s. As far Caliban, he hardly

looked more like a fish than a man.

Prospero had another servant, a spirit

named Ariel, whom he commanded by means

of his magic. Before Prospero’s arrival there

lived on the island a witch named Sycorax; the ugly Caliban was her son. She

imprisoned Ariel in the heart of a pine tree and she died without releasing him.

Prospero, on his arrival on the island found him and released him. Ariel became

Prospero’s faithful servant and carried out his master’s wishes. At Prospero’s

faithful command he would raise storms in the sea or make thunder in the air.

II

One day there arose a terrible storm in the sea. As Miranda looked out, she

saw a fine ship struggling in the midst of the storm.

“O father,” she said, “if you have, by your own power, raised this tempest;

please put an end to it. What a fine ship is there, struggling in the cruel waves!

The cries of the drowning sailors seem to knock against my very heart.”

“Do not be afraid,” replied Prospero. “Not a single person shall perish. As

for the storm, I have raised it for your sake. I have done it for you, my beloved

daughter, You do not know who you are.”

Now for the first time Prospero told Miranda the strange story of her life.

“Twelve years ago,” he said, “I was Duke of Milan. Knowledge was my chief

aim in life; wealth and worldly possessions hardly mattered to me. Leaving the

management of state affairs to my brother Antonio, whose loyalty I never doubted,

I devoted all my time to secret studies. Meanwhile he grew greedy for power

and possessions; he bribed my ministers and plotted against me with my enemy,

the king of Naples. One dark night their soldiers took me out of my palace, with

you crying in my arms. They did not dare to kill us openly; so they put us into an

old damaged ship that could hardly float, and left us to perish at sea. But there

was a kind old lord named Gonzalo; he was loyal to me at heart and was not in

favour of Antonio’s plot. He secretly stored the ship with fresh water, food and

clothes, and my precious books, which I valued more than my dukedom. Driven

by favourable winds, we floated to this lonely island.”

“But what is your reason for raising this tempest?” asked Miranda, who

was still thinking of the drowning sailors.

“Fortune has now begun to favour me,” replied Prospero. “The tempest

has, in a strange manner, brought all my enemies to this island; they are in the

ship you see. For the present it is enough for you to know that much.” Then

Prospero touched Miranda gently with his magic wand, and she fell asleep.

III

“Come, my Ariel,” said Prospero, waving his magic wand. Ariel appeared.

“Here I am, master,” he said. “I am ready to go wherever you ask me to go,

and to do whatever you want.”

“Have you performed the task I gave you?”

“Yes; master. I have done every thing just as you commanded me. I attacked

the ship with storm, fire and thunder, till the sailors gave up in despair. Not a

single person in the ship kept head. The king’s son, Ferdinand, leapt into the sea.

Now he is sitting sadly in a corner of the island, thinking that his father is drowned.

Meanwhile, in another part of the island, the King, your brother, and the others

are looking for Ferdinand, who they fear is drowned. As for the ship, I have

brought it safely to the harbour.”

“You have performed your task perfectly,” said Prospero. “Now we have

some very important work on our hands. The time between now and evening is

precious for both of us.”

“More work? Sir, let me remind you of the promise you gave me, namely, to

give me my freedom.”

“What?” said Prospero angrily? “How dare you ask freedom before the

time out? Where would you be but for me? Have I to remind you how I released

you from the pine tree?”

“I am sorry, master. I will obey you willingly,” said Ariel.

“Good,” said Prospero. “After two days I will set you free; meanwhile

carry out your tasks with good heart.” Then Prospero told him what he should

do. And away went Ariel happily, to the place where Ferdinand sat weeping

over his father’s death.