Pericles, Prince of Tyre

FIRST FISHERMANWhat, ho, Pilch!SECOND FISHERMANHa, come and bring away the nets!FIRST FISHERMANWhat, Patch-breech, I say!THIRD FISHERMANWhat say you, master?FIRST FISHERMAN. Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wanion.THIRD FISHERMAN. 'Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.FIRST FISHERMAN. Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, when, well-a-day, we could scarce help ourselves.THIRD FISHERMAN. Nay, master, said not I as much when I saw the porpus how he bounced and tumbled? they say they're half fish, half flesh: a plague on them, they ne'er come but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.FIRST FISHERMAN. Why, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; a' plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful. such whales have I heard on o' the land, who never leave gaping till they they've swallowed the whole parish, church, steeple, bells, and all.PERICLES. [Aside.]A pretty moral.THIRD FISHERMAN. But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.SECOND FISHERMANWhy, man?THIRD FISHERMAN. Because he should have swallowed me too; and when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells, that he should never have left, till he cast bells, steeple, church, and parish, up again. But if the good King Simonides were of my mind, —PERICLES. [Aside.]Simonides!THIRD FISHERMAN. We would purge the land of these drones, that rob the bee of her honey.PERICLES. [Aside.]How from the finny subjec of the seaThese fishers tell the infirmities of men;And from their watery empire recollectAll that may men approve or men detect!Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.SECOND FISHERMAN. Honest! good fellow, what's that; If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look after it.PERICLESMay see the sea hath cast upon your coast.SECOND FISHERMANWhat a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee in our way!PERICLESA man whom both the waters and the wind,In that vast tennis-court, have made the ballFor them to play upon, entreats you pity him;He asks of you, that never used to beg.FIRST FISHERMAN. No, friend, cannot you beg? Here's them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working.SECOND FISHERMANCanst thou catch any fishes, then?PERICLESI never practised it.SECOND FISHERMAN. Nay, then thou wilt starve, sure; for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst fish for 't.PERICLESWhat I have been I have forgot to know;But what I am, want teaches me to think on:A man throng'd up with cold: my veins are chill,And have no more of life than may sufficeTo give my tongue that heat to ask your help;Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,For that I am a man, pray see me buried.FIRST FISHERMAN. Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here; come, put it on; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome.PERICLESI thank you, sir.SECOND FISHERMANHark you, my friend; you said you could not beg.

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