Page:King Lear (1917) Yale.djvu/43

King Lear, I. iv

have part on 't, and ladies too: they will not let

me have all fool to myself; they'll be snatching.]

Nuncle, give me an egg, and I'll give thee two

crowns.

Lear. What two crowns shall they be?

Fool. Why, after I have cut the egg i' the

middle and eat up the meat, the two crowns of

the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i' the

middle, and gavest away both parts, thou borest

thine ass on thy back o'er the dirt: thou hadst

little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest

thy golden one away. If I speak like myself in

this, let him be whipped that first finds it so.

Fools had ne'er less grace in a year;

For wise men are grown foppish,

And know not how their wits to wear,

Their manners are so apish.

Lear. When were you wont to be so full of

songs, sirrah?

Fool. I have used it, nuncle, ever since thou

madest thy daughters thy mothers; for when

thou gavest them the rod and puttest down

thine own breeches,

Then they for sudden joy did weep,

And I for sorrow sung,

That such a king should play bo-peep,

And go the fools among.

Prithee, nuncle, keep a schoolmaster that can

teach thy fool to lie: I would fain learn to lie.

Lear. An you lie, sirrah, we'll have you

whipped.

Fool. I marvel what kin thou and thy

daughters are: they'll have me whipped for

speaking true, thou'lt have me whipped for

