Page 3146 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

Of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool,
To see it tetchy and fall out with the dug.
Shake! quoth the dovehouse. ’Twas no need, I trow,
To bid me trudge.
And since that time it is eleven years. [35]
For then she could stand high-lone, nay, by th’rood,
She could have run and waddled all about;
For even the day before she broke her brow,
And then my husband - God be with his soul,
A was a merry man - took up the child, [40]
‘Yea’, quoth he, ‘dost thou fall upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit,
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ And by my holidame,
The pretty wretch left crying and said ‘Ay’.
To see now how a jest shall come about. [45]
I warrant, and I should live a thousand years
I never should forget it. ‘Wilt thou not, Jule?’ quoth he,
And, pretty fool, it stinted, and said ‘Ay’.

LADY CAPULET

Enough of this, I pray thee, hold thy peace.

NURSE

Yes, madam, yet I cannot choose but laugh [50]
To think it should leave crying and say ‘Ay’;
And yet I warrant it had upon it brow
A bump as big as a young cockerel’s stone,
A perilous knock, and it cried bitterly.
‘Yea’, quoth my husband, ‘fall’st upon thy face? [55]
Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age,
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ It stinted, and said ‘Ay’.

JULIET

And stint thou too, I pray thee, Nurse, say I.

NURSE

Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace,
Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nurs’d. [60]
And I might live to see thee married once,
I have my wish.