The Tempest

ACT III. SCENE I. [a rocky hillside]

On the other side of the island, Ferdinand had been put to work by Prospero.

His first task was to cut wood and bring the logs to Miranda and Prospero's home for firewood (something that the now missing Caliban was supposed to be doing).

Carrying a large log with him, Ferdinand said out loud to himself, "Some games are painful, but their discomfort makes them more fun. Some kinds of lowly activities are done for noble reasons. And you can do poor things that lead to rich results. This hard work would be boring and nasty to me, but I'm working for a mistress who makes me enjoy my labor. Oh, she's ten times nicer than her father is mean, and he's the height of crabbiness. I have thousands of logs to take away and pile up, on strict orders from him. My sweet darling cries when she sees me work and tells me that such a wonderful man never performed such lowly tasks before. These sweet thoughts relieve me and refresh me, especially when I'm slaving away busily."

Miranda, who had been watching him, ran to him and put her hand on his shoulder, "Now, please, I beg you, don't work so hard. I wish the lightning had burned up all those logs that you've been ordered to stack! Please put that log down and rest a while. When this wood burns, it'll weep for making you tired. My father's studying hard, so he won't see you. So please rest. We're safe from my father for at least three hours."

Unbeknownst to them both, Prospero was watching them both from a distance.

Ferdinand shook his head, "Oh, my dear mistress, I won't be able to finish this work until sunset at the earliest."

Miranda tried grabbing the log from him, "If you sit down, I'll carry your logs a while. Please give me that. I'll take it over to the pile."

Ferdinand shook his head again, "No, my darling, I'd rather strain all my muscles and break my back than let you do work like this while I lounge around nearby."

"I'd be as right for the job as you are, and I'd do it more easily, since I'd have good will on my side." Miranda replied, smiling.

Prospero grimaced from a distance, saying to himself, "You poor weak thing, you're in love! I can see it clearly now."

Miranda sighed and put her hand to Ferdinands face, "You look tired."

"No, noble mistress, I'm as fresh as morning when you're near me, even at night. I beg you to tell me your name so I can use it in my prayers." Ferdinand said, shaking his head.

"Miranda.—Oh father, I've disobeyed you by telling him that!"

Ferdinand put his lumber down on a nearby rock, then put his hands on her shoulders, "Miranda—the very name means "admired!" You are indeed admired, more than anything else in the world! I've looked at many ladies with pleasure, and been seduced by the sweet nothings they said to me. I've liked several women for their good qualities, but there was something wrong with each one that blotted her excellent qualities and cancelled them out. But with you it's different. You're perfect, without a rival in the world, made up of the best qualities of every creature."

He looked at her face, admiring her features.

Her eyes were a warm brown, so deep it was easy to get lost into the both of them. Her hair was a lighter shade of brown than her eyes, but were like that of a Sparrows feathers. Her tresses fell lightly on her tanned shoulders, that and the freckles on her face made it obvious she spent most of her days outside. Despite being a strong, broad shouldered woman, her face and fingers were dainty, and hinted to the naivety that only comes from spending most of your life on an island.

Miranda looked away shyly, "I've never known any woman or seen a woman's face—except my own in the mirror. And I've never met any men besides you and my father. I have no idea what people look like in other places, but I swear by my modesty, which I value above everything else, that I'd never want any companion in the world but you. I can't even imagine one. But listen to me chattering like crazy, and father always told me not to."

Ferdinand put his hand on her cheek, moving her head to look at him, "I'm a prince by birth, Miranda—maybe even a king now; though I wish I weren't—and normally I wouldn't put up with carrying these logs any more than I'd let flies breed in my mouth. But I'll tell you something from my soul. The second I saw you, my heart rushed to serve you and be your slave, so here I am now, a patient log-man."

Miranda looked into his eyes and asked, "Do you love me?"

"Oh heaven, oh earth, witness what I'm about to say, and reward me if I tell the truth! If I'm lying, then destroy all my prospects in life! More than anything else in the world, I love you, value you, and honor you." Ferdinand replied.

Miranda, who had never had those words said to her, had only read things like that in her storybooks. Tears welled in her eyes, "Look at me crying—what a fool I am to cry at what makes me happy."

Prospero, still watching this encounter, thought to himself, "What a pleasant meeting between two people truly in love! May heaven bless the feelings growing between them!"

Ferdinand wiped her cheek, asking her, "Why are you crying?"

Miranda replied, "I'm crying at how unworthy I am to give you what I want to give you and to take what I'm dying to have. But it's a waste of time to say so. The more I try to hide what I'm feeling, the bigger it gets. Oh, stop being so bashful and tricky, Miranda, just be straightforward and innocent! I'll be your wife if you'll have me. Otherwise, I'll die a virgin, devoted to you. You can refuse to make me your spouse, but I'll be your servant whether you want me to or not."

Ferdinand smiled and replied, "You'll be my wife, dearest, and I'll serve you forever."

"Will you be my husband, then?"

He nodded his head, "Yes, with a heart more eager to bear a husband's responsibilities than a slave ever wanted freedom. Take my hand, darling."

She took his hand, smiling, and said, "Here's my hand, and my heart. And now goodbye. I'll see you again in half an hour."

He kissed her hand, replying, "A million goodbyes to you."

Miranda turned around and lightly walked away. Ferdinand watched her, then picked up his log and walked away happily.

Prospero walked to wear the two love birds had been standing, rubbing his old hands together, "I can't be as happy as they are at this moment, but nothing could make me any happier. Now it's time to get back to my studying, since I have a lot of serious business to take care of before dinner."

And with that, he quickly walked on his way back to the house.