Chapter 10

King Arthur,a passionate sort of king, husband toQueen Dollallolla,of whom he stands a little in fear: father toHuncamunca,whom he is very fond of and in love withGlumdalca.Tom Thumb the Great,a little hero with a great soul, something violent in his temper, which is a little abated by his love forHuncamunca.Ghost of Gaffer Thumb,a whimsical sort of ghost.Lord Grizzle,extremely zealous for the liberty of the subject, very choleric in his temper, and in love withHuncamunca.Merlin,a conjuror, and in some sort father toTom Thumb.Noodle,Doodle,courtiers in place, and consequently of that party that is uppermost.Foodle,a courtier that is out of place, and consequently of that party that is undermost.Bailiff, and Follower,of the party of the plaintiff.Parson,of the side of the church.Queen Dollallolla,wife toKing Arthur,and mother toHuncamunca,a woman entirely faultless, saving that she is a little given to drink, a little too much a virago towards her husband, and in love withTom Thumb.The Princess Huncamunca,daughter to theirMajesties King ArthurandQueen Dollallolla,of a very sweet, gentle, and amorous disposition, equally in love withLord GrizzleandTom Thumb,and desirous to be married to them both.Glumdalca,of the giants, a captive queen, beloved by the king, but in love withTom Thumb.Cleora, Mustacha,maids of honour in love withNoodleandDoodle.Courtiers, Guards, Rebels, Drums, Trumpets, Thunder and Lightning.

King Arthur,a passionate sort of king, husband toQueen Dollallolla,of whom he stands a little in fear: father toHuncamunca,whom he is very fond of and in love withGlumdalca.

Tom Thumb the Great,a little hero with a great soul, something violent in his temper, which is a little abated by his love forHuncamunca.

Ghost of Gaffer Thumb,a whimsical sort of ghost.

Lord Grizzle,extremely zealous for the liberty of the subject, very choleric in his temper, and in love withHuncamunca.

Merlin,a conjuror, and in some sort father toTom Thumb.

Noodle,Doodle,courtiers in place, and consequently of that party that is uppermost.

Foodle,a courtier that is out of place, and consequently of that party that is undermost.

Bailiff, and Follower,of the party of the plaintiff.

Parson,of the side of the church.

Queen Dollallolla,wife toKing Arthur,and mother toHuncamunca,a woman entirely faultless, saving that she is a little given to drink, a little too much a virago towards her husband, and in love withTom Thumb.

The Princess Huncamunca,daughter to theirMajesties King ArthurandQueen Dollallolla,of a very sweet, gentle, and amorous disposition, equally in love withLord GrizzleandTom Thumb,and desirous to be married to them both.

Glumdalca,of the giants, a captive queen, beloved by the king, but in love withTom Thumb.

Cleora, Mustacha,maids of honour in love withNoodleandDoodle.

Courtiers, Guards, Rebels, Drums, Trumpets, Thunder and Lightning.

SCENE.—The Court of King Arthur, and a Plain Thereabouts.

Scene I.—The Palace.

Doodle, Noodle.Doodle.Sure such a day[65]as this was never seen!The sun himself, on this auspicious day,Shines like a beau in a new birthday suit:This down the seams embroidered, that the beams.All nature wears one universal grin.Nood.This day, O Mr. Doodle, is a day.Indeed!—a day, we never saw before.[66]The mighty Thomas Thumb victorious comes;[67]Millions of giants crowd his chariot wheels,Giants! to whom the giants in Guildhall[68]Are infant dwarfs. They frown, and foam, and roar,While Thumb, regardless of their noise, rides on.So some cock-sparrow in a farmer's yard,Hops at the head of an huge flock of turkeys.Dood.When Goody Thumb first brought this Thomas forth,The Genius of our land triumphant reign'd;Then, then, O Arthur! did thy Genius reign.Nood.They tell me it is whisper'd[69]in the booksOf all our sages, that this mighty hero,By Merlin's art begot, hath not a boneWithin his skin, but is a lump of gristle.Dood.Then 'tis a gristle of no mortal kind;Some god, my Noodle, stept into the placeOf Gaffer Thumb, and more than half begot[70]This mighty Tom.Nood.Sure he was sent express[71]From Heaven to be the pillar of our state.Though small his body be, so very smallA chairman's leg is more than twice as large,Yet is his soul like any mountain big;And as a mountain once brought forth a mouse,So doth this mouse contain a mighty mountain.[72]Dood.Mountain indeed! So terrible his name,The giant nurses frighten children with it,[73]And cry Tom Thumb is come, and if you areNaughty, will surely take the child away.Nood.But hark! these trumpets speak the king's approach.[74]Dood.He comes most luckily for my petition.[Flourish.

Doodle, Noodle.

Doodle.Sure such a day[65]as this was never seen!The sun himself, on this auspicious day,Shines like a beau in a new birthday suit:This down the seams embroidered, that the beams.All nature wears one universal grin.

Doodle.Sure such a day[65]as this was never seen!

The sun himself, on this auspicious day,

Shines like a beau in a new birthday suit:

This down the seams embroidered, that the beams.

All nature wears one universal grin.

Nood.This day, O Mr. Doodle, is a day.Indeed!—a day, we never saw before.[66]The mighty Thomas Thumb victorious comes;[67]Millions of giants crowd his chariot wheels,Giants! to whom the giants in Guildhall[68]Are infant dwarfs. They frown, and foam, and roar,While Thumb, regardless of their noise, rides on.So some cock-sparrow in a farmer's yard,Hops at the head of an huge flock of turkeys.

Nood.This day, O Mr. Doodle, is a day.

Indeed!—a day, we never saw before.[66]

The mighty Thomas Thumb victorious comes;[67]

Millions of giants crowd his chariot wheels,

Giants! to whom the giants in Guildhall[68]

Are infant dwarfs. They frown, and foam, and roar,

While Thumb, regardless of their noise, rides on.

So some cock-sparrow in a farmer's yard,

Hops at the head of an huge flock of turkeys.

Dood.When Goody Thumb first brought this Thomas forth,The Genius of our land triumphant reign'd;Then, then, O Arthur! did thy Genius reign.

Dood.When Goody Thumb first brought this Thomas forth,

The Genius of our land triumphant reign'd;

Then, then, O Arthur! did thy Genius reign.

Nood.They tell me it is whisper'd[69]in the booksOf all our sages, that this mighty hero,By Merlin's art begot, hath not a boneWithin his skin, but is a lump of gristle.

Nood.They tell me it is whisper'd[69]in the books

Of all our sages, that this mighty hero,

By Merlin's art begot, hath not a bone

Within his skin, but is a lump of gristle.

Dood.Then 'tis a gristle of no mortal kind;Some god, my Noodle, stept into the placeOf Gaffer Thumb, and more than half begot[70]This mighty Tom.

Dood.Then 'tis a gristle of no mortal kind;

Some god, my Noodle, stept into the place

Of Gaffer Thumb, and more than half begot[70]

This mighty Tom.

Nood.Sure he was sent express[71]From Heaven to be the pillar of our state.Though small his body be, so very smallA chairman's leg is more than twice as large,Yet is his soul like any mountain big;And as a mountain once brought forth a mouse,So doth this mouse contain a mighty mountain.[72]

Nood.Sure he was sent express[71]

From Heaven to be the pillar of our state.

Though small his body be, so very small

A chairman's leg is more than twice as large,

Yet is his soul like any mountain big;

And as a mountain once brought forth a mouse,

So doth this mouse contain a mighty mountain.[72]

Dood.Mountain indeed! So terrible his name,The giant nurses frighten children with it,[73]And cry Tom Thumb is come, and if you areNaughty, will surely take the child away.

Dood.Mountain indeed! So terrible his name,

The giant nurses frighten children with it,[73]

And cry Tom Thumb is come, and if you are

Naughty, will surely take the child away.

Nood.But hark! these trumpets speak the king's approach.[74]

Dood.He comes most luckily for my petition.[Flourish.

Scene II.

King, Queen, Grizzle, Noodle, Doodle, Foodle.King.Let nothing but a face of joy appear;[75]The man who frowns this day shall lose his head,That he may have no face to frown withal.Smile Dollallolla—Ha! what wrinkled sorrowHangs, sits, lies, frowns upon thy knitted brow?[76]Whence flow those tears fast down thy blubber'd cheeks,Like a swoln gutter, gushing through the streets?Queen.Excess of joy, my lord, I've heard folks say,[77]Gives tears as certain as excess of grief.King.If it be so, let all men cry for joy,Till my whole court be drowned with their tears;[78]Nay, till they overflow my utmost land,And leave me nothing but the sea to rule.Dood.My liege, I a petition have here got.King.Petition me no petitions, sir, to-day:Let other hours be set apart for business.To-day it is our pleasure to be drunk.[79]And this our queen shall be as drunk as we.Queen.(Though I already[80]half-seas over am)If the capacious goblet overflowWith arrack punch——'fore George! I'll see it out:Of rum and brandy I'll not taste a drop.King.Though rack, in punch, eight shillings be a quart,And rum and brandy be no more than six,Rather than quarrel you shall have your will.[Trumpets.But, ha! the warrior comes—the great Tom Thumb,The little hero, giant-killing boy,Preserver of my kingdom, is arrived.

King, Queen, Grizzle, Noodle, Doodle, Foodle.

King.Let nothing but a face of joy appear;[75]The man who frowns this day shall lose his head,That he may have no face to frown withal.Smile Dollallolla—Ha! what wrinkled sorrowHangs, sits, lies, frowns upon thy knitted brow?[76]Whence flow those tears fast down thy blubber'd cheeks,Like a swoln gutter, gushing through the streets?

King.Let nothing but a face of joy appear;[75]

The man who frowns this day shall lose his head,

That he may have no face to frown withal.

Smile Dollallolla—Ha! what wrinkled sorrow

Hangs, sits, lies, frowns upon thy knitted brow?[76]

Whence flow those tears fast down thy blubber'd cheeks,

Like a swoln gutter, gushing through the streets?

Queen.Excess of joy, my lord, I've heard folks say,[77]Gives tears as certain as excess of grief.

Queen.Excess of joy, my lord, I've heard folks say,[77]

Gives tears as certain as excess of grief.

King.If it be so, let all men cry for joy,Till my whole court be drowned with their tears;[78]Nay, till they overflow my utmost land,And leave me nothing but the sea to rule.

King.If it be so, let all men cry for joy,

Till my whole court be drowned with their tears;[78]

Nay, till they overflow my utmost land,

And leave me nothing but the sea to rule.

Dood.My liege, I a petition have here got.

King.Petition me no petitions, sir, to-day:Let other hours be set apart for business.To-day it is our pleasure to be drunk.[79]And this our queen shall be as drunk as we.

King.Petition me no petitions, sir, to-day:

Let other hours be set apart for business.

To-day it is our pleasure to be drunk.[79]

And this our queen shall be as drunk as we.

Queen.(Though I already[80]half-seas over am)If the capacious goblet overflowWith arrack punch——'fore George! I'll see it out:Of rum and brandy I'll not taste a drop.

Queen.(Though I already[80]half-seas over am)

If the capacious goblet overflow

With arrack punch——'fore George! I'll see it out:

Of rum and brandy I'll not taste a drop.

King.Though rack, in punch, eight shillings be a quart,And rum and brandy be no more than six,Rather than quarrel you shall have your will.[Trumpets.But, ha! the warrior comes—the great Tom Thumb,The little hero, giant-killing boy,Preserver of my kingdom, is arrived.

King.Though rack, in punch, eight shillings be a quart,

And rum and brandy be no more than six,

Rather than quarrel you shall have your will.[Trumpets.

But, ha! the warrior comes—the great Tom Thumb,

The little hero, giant-killing boy,

Preserver of my kingdom, is arrived.

Scene III.

Tom Thumbto them, withOfficers, Prisoners,andAttendants.King.Oh! welcome most, most welcome to my arms.[81]What gratitude can thank away the debtYour valour lays upon me?Queen.Oh! ye gods![82][Aside.Thumb.When I'm not thank'd at all, I'm thank'd enough.[83]I've done my duty, and I've done no more.Queen.Was ever such a godlike creature seen?[Aside.King.Thy modesty's a candle[84]to thy merit,It shines itself, and shows thy merit too.But say, my boy, where didst thou leave the giants?Thumb.My liege, without the castle gates they stand,The castle gates too low for their admittance.King.What look they like?Thumb.Like nothing but themselves.Queen.And sure thou art like nothing but thyself.[85][Aside.King.Enough! the vast idea fills my soul.I see them—yes, I see them now before me:The monstrous, ugly, barb'rous sons of clods.But ha! what form majestic strikes our eyes?So perfect, that it seems to have been drawn[86]By all the gods in council: so fair she is,That surely at her birth the council paused,And then at length cry'd out, This is a woman!Thumb.Then were the gods mistaken—she is notA woman, but a giantess——whom we,With much ado, have made a shift to haul[87]Within the town: for she is by a foot[88]Shorter than all her subject giants were.Glum.We yesterday were both a queen and wife,One hundred thousand giants own'd our sway.Twenty whereof were married to ourself.Queen.Oh! happy state of giantism where husbandsLike mushrooms grow, whilst hapless we are forcedTo be content, nay, happy thought, with one.Glum.But then to lose them all in one black day,That the same sun which, rising, saw me wifeTo twenty giants, setting should beholdMe widow'd of them all.——My worn-out heart,[89]That ship, leaks fast, and the great heavy lading,My soul, will quickly sink.Queen.Madam, believeI view your sorrows with a woman's eye:But learn to bear them with what strength you may,To-morrow we will have our grenadiersDrawn out before you, and you then shall chooseWhat husbands you think fit.Glum.Madam, I am[90]Your most obedient and most humble servant.King.Think, mighty princess, think this court your own,Nor think the landlord me, this house my inn;Call for whate'er you will, you'll nothing pay.I feel a sudden pain within my breast,[91]Nor know I whether it arise from loveOr only the wind-cholic. Time must show.O Thumb! what do we to thy valour owe!Ask some reward, great as we can bestow.Thumb.I ask not kingdoms, I can conquer those;[92]I ask not money, money I've enough;For what I've done, and what I mean to do,For giants slain, and giants yet unbornWhich I will slay——if this be call'd a debt,Take my receipt in full: I ask but this,—To sun myself in Huncamunca's eyes.[93]King.Prodigious bold request.Queen.Be still, my soul.[94][Aside.Thumb.My heart is at the threshold of your mouth,[95]And waits its answer there.——Oh! do not frown.I've try'd to reason's tune to tune my soul,But love did overwind and crack the string.Though Jove in thunder had cry'd out,you shan't,I should have loved her still——for oh, strange fate,Then when I loved her least I loved her most!King.It is resolv'd—the princess is your own.Thumb.Oh! happy, happy, happy, happy Thumb.[96]Queen.Consider, sir; reward your soldier's merit,But give not Huncamunca to Tom Thumb.King.Tom Thumb! Odzooks! my wide-extended realmKnows not a name so glorious as Tom Thumb.Let Macedonia Alexander boast,Let Rome her Cæsars and her Scipios show,Her Messieurs France, let Holland boast Mynheers,Ireland her O's, her Macs let Scotland boast,Let England boast no other than Tom Thumb.Queen.Though greater yet his boasted merit was,He shall not have my daughter, that is pos'.King.Ha! sayst thou, Dollallolla?Queen.I say he shan't.King.Then by our royal self we swear you lie.[97]Queen.Who but a dog, who but a dog[98]Would use me as thou dost? Me, who have lainThese twenty years so loving by thy side![99]But I will be revenged. I'll hang myself.Then tremble all who did this match persuade,For, riding on a cat, from high I'll fall,[100]And squirt down royal vengeance on you all.Food.Her majesty the queen is in a passion.[101]King.Be she, or be she not, I'll to the girl[102]And pave thy way, O Thumb. Now by ourself,We were indeed a pretty king of cloutsTo truckle to her will—for when by forceOr art the wife her husband overreaches,Give him the petticoat, and her the breeches.Thumb.Whisper, ye winds, that Huncamunca's mine![103]Echoes repeat, that Huncamunca's mine!The dreadful bus'ness of the war is o'er,And beauty, heav'nly beauty! crowns my toils!I've thrown the bloody garment now asideAnd hymeneal sweets invite my bride.So when some chimney-sweeper all the dayHath through dark paths pursued the sooty way,At night to wash his hands and face he flies,And in his t'other shirt with his Brickdusta lies.

Tom Thumbto them, withOfficers, Prisoners,andAttendants.

King.Oh! welcome most, most welcome to my arms.[81]What gratitude can thank away the debtYour valour lays upon me?

King.Oh! welcome most, most welcome to my arms.[81]

What gratitude can thank away the debt

Your valour lays upon me?

Queen.Oh! ye gods![82][Aside.

Thumb.When I'm not thank'd at all, I'm thank'd enough.[83]I've done my duty, and I've done no more.

Thumb.When I'm not thank'd at all, I'm thank'd enough.[83]

I've done my duty, and I've done no more.

Queen.Was ever such a godlike creature seen?[Aside.

King.Thy modesty's a candle[84]to thy merit,It shines itself, and shows thy merit too.But say, my boy, where didst thou leave the giants?

King.Thy modesty's a candle[84]to thy merit,

It shines itself, and shows thy merit too.

But say, my boy, where didst thou leave the giants?

Thumb.My liege, without the castle gates they stand,The castle gates too low for their admittance.

Thumb.My liege, without the castle gates they stand,

The castle gates too low for their admittance.

King.What look they like?

Thumb.Like nothing but themselves.

Queen.And sure thou art like nothing but thyself.[85][Aside.

King.Enough! the vast idea fills my soul.I see them—yes, I see them now before me:The monstrous, ugly, barb'rous sons of clods.But ha! what form majestic strikes our eyes?So perfect, that it seems to have been drawn[86]By all the gods in council: so fair she is,That surely at her birth the council paused,And then at length cry'd out, This is a woman!

King.Enough! the vast idea fills my soul.

I see them—yes, I see them now before me:

The monstrous, ugly, barb'rous sons of clods.

But ha! what form majestic strikes our eyes?

So perfect, that it seems to have been drawn[86]

By all the gods in council: so fair she is,

That surely at her birth the council paused,

And then at length cry'd out, This is a woman!

Thumb.Then were the gods mistaken—she is notA woman, but a giantess——whom we,With much ado, have made a shift to haul[87]Within the town: for she is by a foot[88]Shorter than all her subject giants were.

Thumb.Then were the gods mistaken—she is not

A woman, but a giantess——whom we,

With much ado, have made a shift to haul[87]

Within the town: for she is by a foot[88]

Shorter than all her subject giants were.

Glum.We yesterday were both a queen and wife,One hundred thousand giants own'd our sway.Twenty whereof were married to ourself.

Glum.We yesterday were both a queen and wife,

One hundred thousand giants own'd our sway.

Twenty whereof were married to ourself.

Queen.Oh! happy state of giantism where husbandsLike mushrooms grow, whilst hapless we are forcedTo be content, nay, happy thought, with one.

Queen.Oh! happy state of giantism where husbands

Like mushrooms grow, whilst hapless we are forced

To be content, nay, happy thought, with one.

Glum.But then to lose them all in one black day,That the same sun which, rising, saw me wifeTo twenty giants, setting should beholdMe widow'd of them all.——My worn-out heart,[89]That ship, leaks fast, and the great heavy lading,My soul, will quickly sink.

Glum.But then to lose them all in one black day,

That the same sun which, rising, saw me wife

To twenty giants, setting should behold

Me widow'd of them all.——My worn-out heart,[89]

That ship, leaks fast, and the great heavy lading,

My soul, will quickly sink.

Queen.Madam, believeI view your sorrows with a woman's eye:But learn to bear them with what strength you may,To-morrow we will have our grenadiersDrawn out before you, and you then shall chooseWhat husbands you think fit.

Queen.Madam, believe

I view your sorrows with a woman's eye:

But learn to bear them with what strength you may,

To-morrow we will have our grenadiers

Drawn out before you, and you then shall choose

What husbands you think fit.

Glum.Madam, I am[90]Your most obedient and most humble servant.

Glum.Madam, I am[90]

Your most obedient and most humble servant.

King.Think, mighty princess, think this court your own,Nor think the landlord me, this house my inn;Call for whate'er you will, you'll nothing pay.I feel a sudden pain within my breast,[91]Nor know I whether it arise from loveOr only the wind-cholic. Time must show.O Thumb! what do we to thy valour owe!Ask some reward, great as we can bestow.

King.Think, mighty princess, think this court your own,

Nor think the landlord me, this house my inn;

Call for whate'er you will, you'll nothing pay.

I feel a sudden pain within my breast,[91]

Nor know I whether it arise from love

Or only the wind-cholic. Time must show.

O Thumb! what do we to thy valour owe!

Ask some reward, great as we can bestow.

Thumb.I ask not kingdoms, I can conquer those;[92]I ask not money, money I've enough;For what I've done, and what I mean to do,For giants slain, and giants yet unbornWhich I will slay——if this be call'd a debt,Take my receipt in full: I ask but this,—To sun myself in Huncamunca's eyes.[93]

Thumb.I ask not kingdoms, I can conquer those;[92]

I ask not money, money I've enough;

For what I've done, and what I mean to do,

For giants slain, and giants yet unborn

Which I will slay——if this be call'd a debt,

Take my receipt in full: I ask but this,—

To sun myself in Huncamunca's eyes.[93]

King.Prodigious bold request.

Queen.Be still, my soul.[94][Aside.

Thumb.My heart is at the threshold of your mouth,[95]And waits its answer there.——Oh! do not frown.I've try'd to reason's tune to tune my soul,But love did overwind and crack the string.Though Jove in thunder had cry'd out,you shan't,I should have loved her still——for oh, strange fate,Then when I loved her least I loved her most!

Thumb.My heart is at the threshold of your mouth,[95]

And waits its answer there.——Oh! do not frown.

I've try'd to reason's tune to tune my soul,

But love did overwind and crack the string.

Though Jove in thunder had cry'd out,you shan't,

I should have loved her still——for oh, strange fate,

Then when I loved her least I loved her most!

King.It is resolv'd—the princess is your own.

Thumb.Oh! happy, happy, happy, happy Thumb.[96]

Queen.Consider, sir; reward your soldier's merit,But give not Huncamunca to Tom Thumb.

Queen.Consider, sir; reward your soldier's merit,

But give not Huncamunca to Tom Thumb.

King.Tom Thumb! Odzooks! my wide-extended realmKnows not a name so glorious as Tom Thumb.Let Macedonia Alexander boast,Let Rome her Cæsars and her Scipios show,Her Messieurs France, let Holland boast Mynheers,Ireland her O's, her Macs let Scotland boast,Let England boast no other than Tom Thumb.

King.Tom Thumb! Odzooks! my wide-extended realm

Knows not a name so glorious as Tom Thumb.

Let Macedonia Alexander boast,

Let Rome her Cæsars and her Scipios show,

Her Messieurs France, let Holland boast Mynheers,

Ireland her O's, her Macs let Scotland boast,

Let England boast no other than Tom Thumb.

Queen.Though greater yet his boasted merit was,He shall not have my daughter, that is pos'.

Queen.Though greater yet his boasted merit was,

He shall not have my daughter, that is pos'.

King.Ha! sayst thou, Dollallolla?

Queen.I say he shan't.

King.Then by our royal self we swear you lie.[97]

Queen.Who but a dog, who but a dog[98]Would use me as thou dost? Me, who have lainThese twenty years so loving by thy side![99]But I will be revenged. I'll hang myself.Then tremble all who did this match persuade,For, riding on a cat, from high I'll fall,[100]And squirt down royal vengeance on you all.

Queen.Who but a dog, who but a dog[98]

Would use me as thou dost? Me, who have lain

These twenty years so loving by thy side![99]

But I will be revenged. I'll hang myself.

Then tremble all who did this match persuade,

For, riding on a cat, from high I'll fall,[100]

And squirt down royal vengeance on you all.

Food.Her majesty the queen is in a passion.[101]

King.Be she, or be she not, I'll to the girl[102]And pave thy way, O Thumb. Now by ourself,We were indeed a pretty king of cloutsTo truckle to her will—for when by forceOr art the wife her husband overreaches,Give him the petticoat, and her the breeches.

King.Be she, or be she not, I'll to the girl[102]

And pave thy way, O Thumb. Now by ourself,

We were indeed a pretty king of clouts

To truckle to her will—for when by force

Or art the wife her husband overreaches,

Give him the petticoat, and her the breeches.

Thumb.Whisper, ye winds, that Huncamunca's mine![103]Echoes repeat, that Huncamunca's mine!The dreadful bus'ness of the war is o'er,And beauty, heav'nly beauty! crowns my toils!I've thrown the bloody garment now asideAnd hymeneal sweets invite my bride.So when some chimney-sweeper all the dayHath through dark paths pursued the sooty way,At night to wash his hands and face he flies,And in his t'other shirt with his Brickdusta lies.

Thumb.Whisper, ye winds, that Huncamunca's mine![103]

Echoes repeat, that Huncamunca's mine!

The dreadful bus'ness of the war is o'er,

And beauty, heav'nly beauty! crowns my toils!

I've thrown the bloody garment now aside

And hymeneal sweets invite my bride.

So when some chimney-sweeper all the day

Hath through dark paths pursued the sooty way,

At night to wash his hands and face he flies,

And in his t'other shirt with his Brickdusta lies.

Scene IV.

Grizzle (solus).Where art thou, Grizzle?[104]where are now thy glories?Where are the drums that waken thee to honour?Greatness is a laced coat from Monmouth Street,Which fortune lends us for a day to wear,To-morrow puts it on another's back.The spiteful sun but yesterday survey'dHis rival high as Saint Paul's cupola;Now may he see me as Fleet Ditch laid low.

Grizzle (solus).Where art thou, Grizzle?[104]where are now thy glories?

Where are the drums that waken thee to honour?

Greatness is a laced coat from Monmouth Street,

Which fortune lends us for a day to wear,

To-morrow puts it on another's back.

The spiteful sun but yesterday survey'd

His rival high as Saint Paul's cupola;

Now may he see me as Fleet Ditch laid low.

Scene V.

Queen, Grizzle.Queen.Teach me to scold, prodigious-minded Grizzle,[105]Mountain of treason, ugly as the devil,Teach this confounded hateful mouth of mineTo spout forth words malicious as thyself,Words which might shame all Billingsgate to speak.Griz.Far be it from my pride to think my tongueYour royal lips can in that art instruct,Wherein you so excel. But may I ask,Without offence, wherefore my queen would scold?Queen.Wherefore? Oh! blood and thunder! han't you heard(What ev'ry corner of the court resounds)That little Thumb will be a great man made?Griz.I heard it, I confess—for who, alas!Can[106]always stop his ears?—But would my teeth,By grinding knives, had first been set on edge!Queen.Would I had heard, at the still noon of night,The hallalloo of fire in every street!Odsbobs! I have a mind to hang myself,To think I should a grandmother be madeBy such a rascal!—Sure the king forgetsWhen in a pudding, by his mother put,The bastard, by a tinker, on a stileWas dropp'd.—Oh, good lord Grizzle! can I bearTo see him from a pudding mount the throne?Or can, oh can, my Huncamunca bearTo take a pudding's offspring to her arms?Griz.Oh, horror! horror! horror! cease, my queen.Thy voice, like twenty screech-owls, wracks my brain.[107]Queen.Then rouse thy spirit—we may yet preventThis hated match.Griz.We will; nor fate itself,[108]Should it conspire with Thomas Thumb, should cause it.I'll swim through seas; I'll ride upon the clouds:I'll dig the earth; I'll blow out every fire;I'll rave; I'll rant; I'll rise; I'll rush; I'll roar;Fierce as the man whom smiling[109]dolphins boreFrom the prosaic to poetic shore.I'll tear the scoundrel into twenty pieces.Queen.Oh, no! prevent the match, but hurt him not;For, though I would not have him have my daughter,Yet can we kill the man that killed the giants?Griz.I tell you, madam, it was all a trick;He made the giants first, and then he killed them;As fox-hunters bring foxes to the wood,And then with hounds they drive them out again.Queen.How! have you seen no giants? Are there notNow in the yard ten thousand proper giants?Griz.Indeed I cannot positively tell,[110]But firmly do believe there is not one.Queen.Hence! from my sight! thou traitor, hie away;By all my stars! thou enviest Tom Thumb.Go, sirrah! go, hie[111]away! hie!—--thou artA setting-dog: begone.Griz.Madam, I go.Tom Thumb shall feel the vengeance you have raised.So, when two dogs are fighting in the streets,With a third dog one of the two dogs meets,With angry teeth he bites him to the bone,And this dog smarts for what that dog has done.

Queen, Grizzle.

Queen.Teach me to scold, prodigious-minded Grizzle,[105]Mountain of treason, ugly as the devil,Teach this confounded hateful mouth of mineTo spout forth words malicious as thyself,Words which might shame all Billingsgate to speak.

Queen.Teach me to scold, prodigious-minded Grizzle,[105]

Mountain of treason, ugly as the devil,

Teach this confounded hateful mouth of mine

To spout forth words malicious as thyself,

Words which might shame all Billingsgate to speak.

Griz.Far be it from my pride to think my tongueYour royal lips can in that art instruct,Wherein you so excel. But may I ask,Without offence, wherefore my queen would scold?

Griz.Far be it from my pride to think my tongue

Your royal lips can in that art instruct,

Wherein you so excel. But may I ask,

Without offence, wherefore my queen would scold?

Queen.Wherefore? Oh! blood and thunder! han't you heard(What ev'ry corner of the court resounds)That little Thumb will be a great man made?

Queen.Wherefore? Oh! blood and thunder! han't you heard

(What ev'ry corner of the court resounds)

That little Thumb will be a great man made?

Griz.I heard it, I confess—for who, alas!Can[106]always stop his ears?—But would my teeth,By grinding knives, had first been set on edge!

Griz.I heard it, I confess—for who, alas!

Can[106]always stop his ears?—But would my teeth,

By grinding knives, had first been set on edge!

Queen.Would I had heard, at the still noon of night,The hallalloo of fire in every street!Odsbobs! I have a mind to hang myself,To think I should a grandmother be madeBy such a rascal!—Sure the king forgetsWhen in a pudding, by his mother put,The bastard, by a tinker, on a stileWas dropp'd.—Oh, good lord Grizzle! can I bearTo see him from a pudding mount the throne?Or can, oh can, my Huncamunca bearTo take a pudding's offspring to her arms?

Queen.Would I had heard, at the still noon of night,

The hallalloo of fire in every street!

Odsbobs! I have a mind to hang myself,

To think I should a grandmother be made

By such a rascal!—Sure the king forgets

When in a pudding, by his mother put,

The bastard, by a tinker, on a stile

Was dropp'd.—Oh, good lord Grizzle! can I bear

To see him from a pudding mount the throne?

Or can, oh can, my Huncamunca bear

To take a pudding's offspring to her arms?

Griz.Oh, horror! horror! horror! cease, my queen.Thy voice, like twenty screech-owls, wracks my brain.[107]

Griz.Oh, horror! horror! horror! cease, my queen.

Thy voice, like twenty screech-owls, wracks my brain.[107]

Queen.Then rouse thy spirit—we may yet preventThis hated match.

Queen.Then rouse thy spirit—we may yet prevent

This hated match.

Griz.We will; nor fate itself,[108]Should it conspire with Thomas Thumb, should cause it.I'll swim through seas; I'll ride upon the clouds:I'll dig the earth; I'll blow out every fire;I'll rave; I'll rant; I'll rise; I'll rush; I'll roar;Fierce as the man whom smiling[109]dolphins boreFrom the prosaic to poetic shore.I'll tear the scoundrel into twenty pieces.

Griz.We will; nor fate itself,[108]

Should it conspire with Thomas Thumb, should cause it.

I'll swim through seas; I'll ride upon the clouds:

I'll dig the earth; I'll blow out every fire;

I'll rave; I'll rant; I'll rise; I'll rush; I'll roar;

Fierce as the man whom smiling[109]dolphins bore

From the prosaic to poetic shore.

I'll tear the scoundrel into twenty pieces.

Queen.Oh, no! prevent the match, but hurt him not;For, though I would not have him have my daughter,Yet can we kill the man that killed the giants?

Queen.Oh, no! prevent the match, but hurt him not;

For, though I would not have him have my daughter,

Yet can we kill the man that killed the giants?

Griz.I tell you, madam, it was all a trick;He made the giants first, and then he killed them;As fox-hunters bring foxes to the wood,And then with hounds they drive them out again.

Griz.I tell you, madam, it was all a trick;

He made the giants first, and then he killed them;

As fox-hunters bring foxes to the wood,

And then with hounds they drive them out again.

Queen.How! have you seen no giants? Are there notNow in the yard ten thousand proper giants?

Queen.How! have you seen no giants? Are there not

Now in the yard ten thousand proper giants?

Griz.Indeed I cannot positively tell,[110]But firmly do believe there is not one.

Griz.Indeed I cannot positively tell,[110]

But firmly do believe there is not one.

Queen.Hence! from my sight! thou traitor, hie away;By all my stars! thou enviest Tom Thumb.Go, sirrah! go, hie[111]away! hie!—--thou artA setting-dog: begone.

Queen.Hence! from my sight! thou traitor, hie away;

By all my stars! thou enviest Tom Thumb.

Go, sirrah! go, hie[111]away! hie!—--thou art

A setting-dog: begone.

Griz.Madam, I go.Tom Thumb shall feel the vengeance you have raised.So, when two dogs are fighting in the streets,With a third dog one of the two dogs meets,With angry teeth he bites him to the bone,And this dog smarts for what that dog has done.

Griz.Madam, I go.

Tom Thumb shall feel the vengeance you have raised.

So, when two dogs are fighting in the streets,

With a third dog one of the two dogs meets,

With angry teeth he bites him to the bone,

And this dog smarts for what that dog has done.

Scene VI.

Queen[sola.]And whither shall I go?—Alack a day!I love Tom Thumb—but must not tell him so;For what's a woman when her virtue's gone?A coat without its lace; wig out of buckle;A stocking with a hole in't—I can't liveWithout my virtue, or without Tom Thumb.Then let me weigh them in two equal scales;[112]In this scale put my virtue, that Tom Thumb.Alas! Tom Thumb is heavier than my virtue.But hold!—perhaps I may be left a widow:This match prevented, then Tom Thumb is mine:In that dear hope I will forget my pain.So, when some wench to Tothill Bridewell's sent,With beating hemp and flogging she's content;She hopes in time to ease her present pain,At length is free, and walks the streets again.

Queen[sola.]And whither shall I go?—Alack a day!

I love Tom Thumb—but must not tell him so;

For what's a woman when her virtue's gone?

A coat without its lace; wig out of buckle;

A stocking with a hole in't—I can't live

Without my virtue, or without Tom Thumb.

Then let me weigh them in two equal scales;[112]

In this scale put my virtue, that Tom Thumb.

Alas! Tom Thumb is heavier than my virtue.

But hold!—perhaps I may be left a widow:

This match prevented, then Tom Thumb is mine:

In that dear hope I will forget my pain.

So, when some wench to Tothill Bridewell's sent,

With beating hemp and flogging she's content;

She hopes in time to ease her present pain,

At length is free, and walks the streets again.

Scene I.—The street.

Bailiff, Follower.Bail.Come on, my trusty fellow, come on;This day discharge thy duty, and at nightA double mug of beer, and beer shall glad thee.Stand here by me, this way must Noodle pass.Fol.No more, no more, O Bailiff! every wordInspires my soul with virtue. Oh! I longTo meet the enemy in the street, and nab him:To lay arresting hands upon his back,And drag him trembling to the sponging-house.Bail.There when I have him, I will sponge upon him.Oh! glorious thought! by the sun, moon, and stars,I will enjoy it, though it be in thought!Yes, yes, my follower, I will enjoy it.Fol.Enjoy it then some other time, for nowOur prey approaches.Bail.Let us retire.

Bailiff, Follower.

Bail.Come on, my trusty fellow, come on;This day discharge thy duty, and at nightA double mug of beer, and beer shall glad thee.Stand here by me, this way must Noodle pass.

Bail.Come on, my trusty fellow, come on;

This day discharge thy duty, and at night

A double mug of beer, and beer shall glad thee.

Stand here by me, this way must Noodle pass.

Fol.No more, no more, O Bailiff! every wordInspires my soul with virtue. Oh! I longTo meet the enemy in the street, and nab him:To lay arresting hands upon his back,And drag him trembling to the sponging-house.

Fol.No more, no more, O Bailiff! every word

Inspires my soul with virtue. Oh! I long

To meet the enemy in the street, and nab him:

To lay arresting hands upon his back,

And drag him trembling to the sponging-house.

Bail.There when I have him, I will sponge upon him.Oh! glorious thought! by the sun, moon, and stars,I will enjoy it, though it be in thought!Yes, yes, my follower, I will enjoy it.

Bail.There when I have him, I will sponge upon him.

Oh! glorious thought! by the sun, moon, and stars,

I will enjoy it, though it be in thought!

Yes, yes, my follower, I will enjoy it.

Fol.Enjoy it then some other time, for nowOur prey approaches.

Fol.Enjoy it then some other time, for now

Our prey approaches.

Bail.Let us retire.

Scene II.

Tom Thumb, Noodle, Bailiff, Follower.Thumb.Trust me, my Noodle, I am wondrous sick;[113]For, though I love the gentle Huncamunca,Yet at the thought of marriage I grow pale:For, oh!—but swear thou'lt keep it ever secret,[114]I will unfold a tale will make thee stare.Nood.I swear by lovely Huncamunca's charms.Thumb.Then know—my grandmamma[115]hath often said.Tom Thumb, beware of marriage.Nood.Sir, I blushTo think a warrior, great in arms as you,Should be affrighted by his grandmamma.Can an old woman's empty dreams deterThe blooming hero from the virgin's arms?Think of the joy that will your soul alarm,When in her fond embraces clasp'd you lie,While on her panting breast, dissolved in bliss,You pour out all Tom Thumb in every kiss.Thumb.Oh! Noodle, thou hast fired my eager soul;Spite of my grandmother she shall be mine;I'll hug, caress, I'll eat her up with love:Whole days, and nights, and years shall be too shortFor our enjoyment; every sun shall riseBlushing to see us both alone together.[116]Nood.Oh, sir! this purpose of your soul pursue.Bail.Oh, sir! I have an action against you.Nood.At whose suit is it?Bail.At your tailor's, sir.Your tailor put this warrant in my hands,And I arrest you, sir, at his commands.Thumb.Ha! dogs! Arrest my friend before my face!Think you Tom Thumb will suffer this disgrace?But let vain cowards threaten by their word,Tom Thumb shall show his anger by his sword.[KillsBailiffandFollower.Bail.Oh, I am slain!Fol.I am murdered also,And to the shades, the dismal shades below,My bailiff's faithful follower I go.Nood.Go then to hell,[117]like rascals as you are,And give our service to the bailiffs there.Thumb.Thus perish all the bailiffs in the land,Till debtors at noon-day shall walk the streets,And no one fear a bailiff or his writ.

Tom Thumb, Noodle, Bailiff, Follower.

Thumb.Trust me, my Noodle, I am wondrous sick;[113]For, though I love the gentle Huncamunca,Yet at the thought of marriage I grow pale:For, oh!—but swear thou'lt keep it ever secret,[114]I will unfold a tale will make thee stare.

Thumb.Trust me, my Noodle, I am wondrous sick;[113]

For, though I love the gentle Huncamunca,

Yet at the thought of marriage I grow pale:

For, oh!—but swear thou'lt keep it ever secret,[114]

I will unfold a tale will make thee stare.

Nood.I swear by lovely Huncamunca's charms.

Thumb.Then know—my grandmamma[115]hath often said.Tom Thumb, beware of marriage.

Thumb.Then know—my grandmamma[115]hath often said.

Tom Thumb, beware of marriage.

Nood.Sir, I blushTo think a warrior, great in arms as you,Should be affrighted by his grandmamma.Can an old woman's empty dreams deterThe blooming hero from the virgin's arms?Think of the joy that will your soul alarm,When in her fond embraces clasp'd you lie,While on her panting breast, dissolved in bliss,You pour out all Tom Thumb in every kiss.

Nood.Sir, I blush

To think a warrior, great in arms as you,

Should be affrighted by his grandmamma.

Can an old woman's empty dreams deter

The blooming hero from the virgin's arms?

Think of the joy that will your soul alarm,

When in her fond embraces clasp'd you lie,

While on her panting breast, dissolved in bliss,

You pour out all Tom Thumb in every kiss.

Thumb.Oh! Noodle, thou hast fired my eager soul;Spite of my grandmother she shall be mine;I'll hug, caress, I'll eat her up with love:Whole days, and nights, and years shall be too shortFor our enjoyment; every sun shall riseBlushing to see us both alone together.[116]

Thumb.Oh! Noodle, thou hast fired my eager soul;

Spite of my grandmother she shall be mine;

I'll hug, caress, I'll eat her up with love:

Whole days, and nights, and years shall be too short

For our enjoyment; every sun shall rise

Blushing to see us both alone together.[116]

Nood.Oh, sir! this purpose of your soul pursue.

Bail.Oh, sir! I have an action against you.

Nood.At whose suit is it?

Bail.At your tailor's, sir.Your tailor put this warrant in my hands,And I arrest you, sir, at his commands.

Bail.At your tailor's, sir.

Your tailor put this warrant in my hands,

And I arrest you, sir, at his commands.

Thumb.Ha! dogs! Arrest my friend before my face!Think you Tom Thumb will suffer this disgrace?But let vain cowards threaten by their word,Tom Thumb shall show his anger by his sword.[KillsBailiffandFollower.

Thumb.Ha! dogs! Arrest my friend before my face!

Think you Tom Thumb will suffer this disgrace?

But let vain cowards threaten by their word,

Tom Thumb shall show his anger by his sword.

[KillsBailiffandFollower.

Bail.Oh, I am slain!

Fol.I am murdered also,And to the shades, the dismal shades below,My bailiff's faithful follower I go.

Fol.I am murdered also,

And to the shades, the dismal shades below,

My bailiff's faithful follower I go.

Nood.Go then to hell,[117]like rascals as you are,And give our service to the bailiffs there.

Nood.Go then to hell,[117]like rascals as you are,

And give our service to the bailiffs there.

Thumb.Thus perish all the bailiffs in the land,Till debtors at noon-day shall walk the streets,And no one fear a bailiff or his writ.

Thumb.Thus perish all the bailiffs in the land,

Till debtors at noon-day shall walk the streets,

And no one fear a bailiff or his writ.

Scene III.—The PrincessHuncamunca'sApartment.

Huncamunca, Cleora, Mustacha.Hunc.Give me some music—see that it be sad.[118]Cleorasings.Cupid, ease a love-sick maid,Bring thy quiver to her aid;With equal ardour wound the swain;Beauty should never sigh in vain.Let him feel the pleasing smart,Drive the arrow through his heart:When one you wound, you then destroy;When both you kill, you kill with joy.Hunc.O Tom Thumb! Tom Thumb! wherefore art thou Tom Thumb?[119]Why hadst thou not been born of royal race?Why had not mighty Bantam been thy father?Or else the King of Brentford, old or new!

Huncamunca, Cleora, Mustacha.

Hunc.Give me some music—see that it be sad.[118]

Cleorasings.

Cupid, ease a love-sick maid,Bring thy quiver to her aid;With equal ardour wound the swain;Beauty should never sigh in vain.

Cupid, ease a love-sick maid,

Bring thy quiver to her aid;

With equal ardour wound the swain;

Beauty should never sigh in vain.

Let him feel the pleasing smart,Drive the arrow through his heart:When one you wound, you then destroy;When both you kill, you kill with joy.

Let him feel the pleasing smart,

Drive the arrow through his heart:

When one you wound, you then destroy;

When both you kill, you kill with joy.

Hunc.O Tom Thumb! Tom Thumb! wherefore art thou Tom Thumb?[119]Why hadst thou not been born of royal race?Why had not mighty Bantam been thy father?Or else the King of Brentford, old or new!

Hunc.O Tom Thumb! Tom Thumb! wherefore art thou Tom Thumb?[119]

Why hadst thou not been born of royal race?

Why had not mighty Bantam been thy father?

Or else the King of Brentford, old or new!

Must.I am surprised that your highness can give yourself a moment's uneasiness about that little insignificant fellow, Tom Thumb the Great[120]—one properer for a plaything than a husband. Were he my husband his horns should be as long as his body. If you had fallen in love with a grenadier, I should not have wondered at it. If you had fallen in love with something; but to fall in love with nothing!

Hunc.Cease, my Mustacha, on thy duty cease.The zephyr, when in flowery vales it plays,Is not so soft, so sweet as Thummy's breath.The dove is not so gentle to its mate.

Hunc.Cease, my Mustacha, on thy duty cease.

The zephyr, when in flowery vales it plays,

Is not so soft, so sweet as Thummy's breath.

The dove is not so gentle to its mate.

Must.The dove is every bit as proper for a husband.—Alas! madam, there's not a beau about the court looks so little like a man. He is a perfect butterfly, a thing without substance, and almost without shadow too.

Hunc.This rudeness is unseasonable: desist;Or I shall think this railing comes from love.Tom Thumb's a creature of that charming form,That no one can abuse, unless they love him.Must.Madam, the king.

Hunc.This rudeness is unseasonable: desist;Or I shall think this railing comes from love.Tom Thumb's a creature of that charming form,That no one can abuse, unless they love him.

Hunc.This rudeness is unseasonable: desist;

Or I shall think this railing comes from love.

Tom Thumb's a creature of that charming form,

That no one can abuse, unless they love him.

Must.Madam, the king.

Scene IV.

King Huncamunca.King.Let all but Huncamunca leave the room.[ExeuntCleoraandMustacha.Daughter, I have observed of late some griefUnusual in your countenance; your eyesThat, like two open windows,[121]used to showThe lovely beauty of the rooms within.Have now two blinds before them. What is the cause?Say, have you not enough of meat and drink?We've given strict orders not to have you stinted.Hunc.Alas! my lord, I value not myselfThat once I ate two fowls and half a pig;Small is that praise![122]but oh! a maid may wantWhat she can neither eat nor drink.King.What's that?Hunc.O spare my blushes;[123]but I mean a husband.King.If that be all, I have provided one,A husband great in arms, whose warlike swordStreams with the yellow blood of slaughter'd giants,Whose name in Terrâ Incognitâ is known,Whose valour, wisdom, virtue, make a noiseGreat as the kettledrums of twenty armies.Hunc.Whom does my royal father mean?King.Tom Thumb.Hunc.Is it possible?King.Ha! the window-blinds are gone;A country-dance of joy is in your face.[124]Your eyes spit fire, your cheeks grow red as beef.Hunc.Oh, there's a magic-music in that sound,Enough to turn me into beef indeed!Yes, I will own, since licensed by your word,I'll own Tom Thumb the cause of all my grief.For him I've sigh'd, I've wept, I've gnaw'd my sheets.King.Oh! thou shalt gnaw thy tender sheets no more.A husband thou shalt have to mumble now.Hunc.Oh! happy sound! henceforth let no one tellThat Huncamunca shall lead apes in hell.Oh! I am overjoy'd!King.I see thou art.Joy lightens, in thy eyes, and thunders from thy brows;[125]Transports, like lightning, dart along thy soul,As small-shot through a hedge.Hunc.Oh! say not small.King.This happy news shall on our tongue ride post,Ourself we bear the happy news to Thumb.Yet think not, daughter, that your powerful charmsMust still detain the hero from his arms;Various his duty, various his delight;Now in his turn to kiss, and now to fight,And now to kiss again. So, mighty Jove,[126]When with excessive thund'ring tired above,Comes down to earth, and takes a bit—and thenFlies to his trade of thund'ring back again.

King Huncamunca.

King.Let all but Huncamunca leave the room.[ExeuntCleoraandMustacha.Daughter, I have observed of late some griefUnusual in your countenance; your eyesThat, like two open windows,[121]used to showThe lovely beauty of the rooms within.Have now two blinds before them. What is the cause?Say, have you not enough of meat and drink?We've given strict orders not to have you stinted.

King.Let all but Huncamunca leave the room.

[ExeuntCleoraandMustacha.

Daughter, I have observed of late some grief

Unusual in your countenance; your eyes

That, like two open windows,[121]used to show

The lovely beauty of the rooms within.

Have now two blinds before them. What is the cause?

Say, have you not enough of meat and drink?

We've given strict orders not to have you stinted.

Hunc.Alas! my lord, I value not myselfThat once I ate two fowls and half a pig;Small is that praise![122]but oh! a maid may wantWhat she can neither eat nor drink.

Hunc.Alas! my lord, I value not myself

That once I ate two fowls and half a pig;

Small is that praise![122]but oh! a maid may want

What she can neither eat nor drink.

King.What's that?

Hunc.O spare my blushes;[123]but I mean a husband.

King.If that be all, I have provided one,A husband great in arms, whose warlike swordStreams with the yellow blood of slaughter'd giants,Whose name in Terrâ Incognitâ is known,Whose valour, wisdom, virtue, make a noiseGreat as the kettledrums of twenty armies.

King.If that be all, I have provided one,

A husband great in arms, whose warlike sword

Streams with the yellow blood of slaughter'd giants,

Whose name in Terrâ Incognitâ is known,

Whose valour, wisdom, virtue, make a noise

Great as the kettledrums of twenty armies.

Hunc.Whom does my royal father mean?

King.Tom Thumb.

Hunc.Is it possible?

King.Ha! the window-blinds are gone;A country-dance of joy is in your face.[124]Your eyes spit fire, your cheeks grow red as beef.

King.Ha! the window-blinds are gone;

A country-dance of joy is in your face.[124]

Your eyes spit fire, your cheeks grow red as beef.

Hunc.Oh, there's a magic-music in that sound,Enough to turn me into beef indeed!Yes, I will own, since licensed by your word,I'll own Tom Thumb the cause of all my grief.For him I've sigh'd, I've wept, I've gnaw'd my sheets.

Hunc.Oh, there's a magic-music in that sound,

Enough to turn me into beef indeed!

Yes, I will own, since licensed by your word,

I'll own Tom Thumb the cause of all my grief.

For him I've sigh'd, I've wept, I've gnaw'd my sheets.

King.Oh! thou shalt gnaw thy tender sheets no more.A husband thou shalt have to mumble now.

King.Oh! thou shalt gnaw thy tender sheets no more.

A husband thou shalt have to mumble now.

Hunc.Oh! happy sound! henceforth let no one tellThat Huncamunca shall lead apes in hell.Oh! I am overjoy'd!

Hunc.Oh! happy sound! henceforth let no one tell

That Huncamunca shall lead apes in hell.

Oh! I am overjoy'd!

King.I see thou art.Joy lightens, in thy eyes, and thunders from thy brows;[125]Transports, like lightning, dart along thy soul,As small-shot through a hedge.

King.I see thou art.

Joy lightens, in thy eyes, and thunders from thy brows;[125]

Transports, like lightning, dart along thy soul,

As small-shot through a hedge.

Hunc.Oh! say not small.

King.This happy news shall on our tongue ride post,Ourself we bear the happy news to Thumb.Yet think not, daughter, that your powerful charmsMust still detain the hero from his arms;Various his duty, various his delight;Now in his turn to kiss, and now to fight,And now to kiss again. So, mighty Jove,[126]When with excessive thund'ring tired above,Comes down to earth, and takes a bit—and thenFlies to his trade of thund'ring back again.

King.This happy news shall on our tongue ride post,

Ourself we bear the happy news to Thumb.

Yet think not, daughter, that your powerful charms

Must still detain the hero from his arms;

Various his duty, various his delight;

Now in his turn to kiss, and now to fight,

And now to kiss again. So, mighty Jove,[126]

When with excessive thund'ring tired above,

Comes down to earth, and takes a bit—and then

Flies to his trade of thund'ring back again.

Scene V.

Grizzle, Huncamunca.Griz.Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh![127]Thy pouting breasts, like kettledrums of brass,Beat everlasting loud alarms of joy;As bright as brass they are, and oh, as hard.Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh!Hunc.Ha! dost thou know me, princess as I am,That thus of me you dare to make your game?[128]Griz.Oh! Huncamunca, well I know that youA princess are, and a king's daughter, too;But love no meanness scorns, no grandeur fears;Love often lords into the cellar bears,And bids the sturdy porter come up stairs.For what's too high for love, or what's too low?Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh!Hunc.But, granting all you say of love were true,My love, alas! is to another due.In vain to me a suitoring you come,For I'm already promised to Tom Thumb.Griz.And can my princess such a durgen wed?One fitter for your pocket than your bed!Advised by me, the worthless baby shun,Or you will ne'er be brought to bed of one.Oh, take me to thy arms, and never-flinch,Who am a man, by Jupiter! every inch.Then, while in joys together lost we lie,[129]I'll press thy soul while gods stand wishing by.Hunc.If, sir, what you insinuate you prove,All obstacles of promise you remove;For all engagements to a man must fall,Whene'er that man is proved no man at all.Griz.Oh! let him seek some dwarf, some fairy miss,Where no joint-stool must lift him to the kiss!But, by the stars and glory! you appearMuch fitter for a Prussian grenadier;One globe alone on Atlas' shoulders rests,Two globes are less than Huncamunca's breasts;The milky way is not so white, that's flat,And sure thy breasts are full as large as that.Hunc.Oh, sir, so strong your eloquence I find,It is impossible to be unkind.Griz.Ah! speak that o'er again, and let the sound[130]From one pole to another pole rebound;The earth and sky each be a battledore,And keep the sound, that shuttlecock, up an hour:To Doctors Commons for a licence ISwift as an arrow from a bow will fly.Hunc.Oh, no! lest some disaster we should meet,'Twere better to be married at the Fleet.Griz.Forbid it, all ye powers, a princess shouldBy that vile place contaminate her blood;My quick return shall to my charmer proveI travel on the post-horses of love.[131]Hunc.Those post-horses to me will seem too slowThough they should fly swift as the gods, when theyRide on behind that post-boy, Opportunity.

Grizzle, Huncamunca.

Griz.Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh![127]Thy pouting breasts, like kettledrums of brass,Beat everlasting loud alarms of joy;As bright as brass they are, and oh, as hard.Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh!

Griz.Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh![127]

Thy pouting breasts, like kettledrums of brass,

Beat everlasting loud alarms of joy;

As bright as brass they are, and oh, as hard.

Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh!

Hunc.Ha! dost thou know me, princess as I am,That thus of me you dare to make your game?[128]

Hunc.Ha! dost thou know me, princess as I am,

That thus of me you dare to make your game?[128]

Griz.Oh! Huncamunca, well I know that youA princess are, and a king's daughter, too;But love no meanness scorns, no grandeur fears;Love often lords into the cellar bears,And bids the sturdy porter come up stairs.For what's too high for love, or what's too low?Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh!

Griz.Oh! Huncamunca, well I know that you

A princess are, and a king's daughter, too;

But love no meanness scorns, no grandeur fears;

Love often lords into the cellar bears,

And bids the sturdy porter come up stairs.

For what's too high for love, or what's too low?

Oh! Huncamunca, Huncamunca, oh!

Hunc.But, granting all you say of love were true,My love, alas! is to another due.In vain to me a suitoring you come,For I'm already promised to Tom Thumb.

Hunc.But, granting all you say of love were true,

My love, alas! is to another due.

In vain to me a suitoring you come,

For I'm already promised to Tom Thumb.

Griz.And can my princess such a durgen wed?One fitter for your pocket than your bed!Advised by me, the worthless baby shun,Or you will ne'er be brought to bed of one.Oh, take me to thy arms, and never-flinch,Who am a man, by Jupiter! every inch.Then, while in joys together lost we lie,[129]I'll press thy soul while gods stand wishing by.

Griz.And can my princess such a durgen wed?

One fitter for your pocket than your bed!

Advised by me, the worthless baby shun,

Or you will ne'er be brought to bed of one.

Oh, take me to thy arms, and never-flinch,

Who am a man, by Jupiter! every inch.

Then, while in joys together lost we lie,[129]

I'll press thy soul while gods stand wishing by.

Hunc.If, sir, what you insinuate you prove,All obstacles of promise you remove;For all engagements to a man must fall,Whene'er that man is proved no man at all.

Hunc.If, sir, what you insinuate you prove,

All obstacles of promise you remove;

For all engagements to a man must fall,

Whene'er that man is proved no man at all.

Griz.Oh! let him seek some dwarf, some fairy miss,Where no joint-stool must lift him to the kiss!But, by the stars and glory! you appearMuch fitter for a Prussian grenadier;One globe alone on Atlas' shoulders rests,Two globes are less than Huncamunca's breasts;The milky way is not so white, that's flat,And sure thy breasts are full as large as that.

Griz.Oh! let him seek some dwarf, some fairy miss,

Where no joint-stool must lift him to the kiss!

But, by the stars and glory! you appear

Much fitter for a Prussian grenadier;

One globe alone on Atlas' shoulders rests,

Two globes are less than Huncamunca's breasts;

The milky way is not so white, that's flat,

And sure thy breasts are full as large as that.

Hunc.Oh, sir, so strong your eloquence I find,It is impossible to be unkind.

Hunc.Oh, sir, so strong your eloquence I find,

It is impossible to be unkind.

Griz.Ah! speak that o'er again, and let the sound[130]From one pole to another pole rebound;The earth and sky each be a battledore,And keep the sound, that shuttlecock, up an hour:To Doctors Commons for a licence ISwift as an arrow from a bow will fly.

Griz.Ah! speak that o'er again, and let the sound[130]

From one pole to another pole rebound;

The earth and sky each be a battledore,

And keep the sound, that shuttlecock, up an hour:

To Doctors Commons for a licence I

Swift as an arrow from a bow will fly.

Hunc.Oh, no! lest some disaster we should meet,'Twere better to be married at the Fleet.

Hunc.Oh, no! lest some disaster we should meet,

'Twere better to be married at the Fleet.

Griz.Forbid it, all ye powers, a princess shouldBy that vile place contaminate her blood;My quick return shall to my charmer proveI travel on the post-horses of love.[131]

Griz.Forbid it, all ye powers, a princess should

By that vile place contaminate her blood;

My quick return shall to my charmer prove

I travel on the post-horses of love.[131]

Hunc.Those post-horses to me will seem too slowThough they should fly swift as the gods, when theyRide on behind that post-boy, Opportunity.

Hunc.Those post-horses to me will seem too slow

Though they should fly swift as the gods, when they

Ride on behind that post-boy, Opportunity.

Scene VI.

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