No Fear Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act 5 Scene 2

Continue reading with a SparkNotes PLUS trial

Already have an account? Log in

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER.	Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER.
PAGE Come, come. We’ll couch i’ th’ castle ditch till we see the light of our fairies.—Remember, son Slender, my—	PAGE Come, come. We’ll couch i’ th’ castle ditch till we see the light of our fairies.—Remember, son Slender, my—
SLENDER Ay, forsooth, I have spoke with her, and we 5 have a nayword how to know one another. I come to her in white and cry “mum,” she cries “budget,” and by that we know one another.	SLENDER Ay, forsooth, I have spoke with her, and we 5 have a nayword how to know one another. I come to her in white and cry “mum,” she cries “budget,” and by that we know one another.
SHALLOW That’s good too. But what needs either your “mum” or her “budget”? The white will decipher 10 her well enough. It hath struck ten o’clock.	SHALLOW That’s good too. But what needs either your “mum” or her “budget”? The white will decipher 10 her well enough. It hath struck ten o’clock.
PAGE The night is dark. Light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let’s away. Follow me.	PAGE The night is dark. Light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let’s away. Follow me.
They exit.	They exit.

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER.	Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER.
PAGE Come, come. We’ll couch i’ th’ castle ditch till we see the light of our fairies.—Remember, son Slender, my—	PAGE Come, come. We’ll couch i’ th’ castle ditch till we see the light of our fairies.—Remember, son Slender, my—
SLENDER Ay, forsooth, I have spoke with her, and we 5 have a nayword how to know one another. I come to her in white and cry “mum,” she cries “budget,” and by that we know one another.	SLENDER Ay, forsooth, I have spoke with her, and we 5 have a nayword how to know one another. I come to her in white and cry “mum,” she cries “budget,” and by that we know one another.
SHALLOW That’s good too. But what needs either your “mum” or her “budget”? The white will decipher 10 her well enough. It hath struck ten o’clock.	SHALLOW That’s good too. But what needs either your “mum” or her “budget”? The white will decipher 10 her well enough. It hath struck ten o’clock.
PAGE The night is dark. Light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let’s away. Follow me.	PAGE The night is dark. Light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let’s away. Follow me.
They exit.	They exit.