Shakespeare

SECOND CLOWN
I tell thee she is: and therefore make her grave  | As they dig, they discuss the fact that this corpse is to be given a "Christian burial" (lines 4-5). |
straight: the crowner hath sat on her, and finds it
Christian burial.FIRST CLOWN | The "crowner" has "sat on her," according to the Second Clown. |
How can that be, unless she drowned herself in her
own defence?SECOND CLOWN| This surprises the two clowns, but the ruling has been made. Even though this girl "drowned herself," which is a suicide, she is going to receive a real burial. Normally, people who committed suicide were not allowed that option. |
Why, 'tis found so.FIRST CLOWN | |
It must be 'se offendendo;' it cannot be else. For
here lies the point: if I drown myself wittingly,
it argues an act: andan act hath three branches: it
is, to act, to do, to perform: argal, she drowned
herself wittingly.SECOND CLOWN
Nay, but hear you, goodman delver,--FIRST CLOWN
Give me leave. Here lies the water; good: here
stands the man; good; if the man go to this water,
and drown himself, it is, will he, nill he, he
goes,--mark you that; but if the water come to him
and drown him, he drowns not himself:argal, he
that is not guilty of his own death shortens not his own life.SECOND CLOWN | One of the grave-diggers attempts to explain it, using some obscure legal terms which are Latin, and which nobody pays any attention to anyway. Except lawyers.A bit of vocabulary help: the word "argal" is really "ergo." This would be great, if only we knew what "ergo" meant. |
But is this law?FIRST CLOWNAy, marry, is't; crowner 's quest law.SECOND CLOWN
Will you ha' the truth on't? If this had not been
a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o'
Christian burial.FIRST CLOWN
Why, there thou say'st: and the more pity that
great folk should have countenance in this world to
drown or hang themselves, more than their even
Christian. Come, my spade. There is no ancient 
gentleman butgardeners, ditchers, and grave-makers:
they hold up Adam's profession.SECOND CLOWN | |
Was he a gentleman?FIRST CLOWN
He was the first that ever bore arms.SECOND CLOWN
Why, he had none.FIRST CLOWN
What, art a heathen? How dost thou understand the
Scripture? The Scripture says 'Adam digged:'
could he dig without arms? I'll put another
question to thee: if thou answerest me not to the
purpose,confess thyself--SECOND CLOWN
Go to.FIRST CLOWN | The Gravedigger refers to Adam, from the Bible. He says that digging a grave was "Adam's profession." |
What is he that builds stronger than either the
mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter?SECOND CLOWN | Now, it is riddle time. The first Gravedigger asks who builds things which are stronger than the things built by a mason, a shipbuilder,and a carpenter. |
The gallows-maker; for that frame outlives a
thousand tenants.FIRST CLOWN | The second Clown answers: the guy who builds a gallows, used in a hanging. The gallows outlives many victims. |
I like thy wit well, in good faith: the gallows
does well; but how does it well? it does well to
those that do in: now thou dost ill to say the
gallows is built stronger than the church:argal ,
the gallows may do well to thee. To't again, come.SECOND CLOWN
'Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or
a carpenter?'FIRST CLOWN
Ay, tell me that, and unyoke.SECOND CLOWN
Marry, now I can tell.FIRST CLOWN
To't.SECOND CLOWN
Mass, I cannot tell. | |
Once there lived a monkey in a jamun tree by a river. The monkey was alone - he had no friends, no family, but he was happyand content. The jamun tree gave him plenty of sweet fruit to eat, and shade from the sun and shelter from the rain.
One day a crocodile came swimming up the river and climbed on to the bank to rest under the monkey's tree. 'Hello', called the monkey, who was a friendly animal. 'Hello', replied the crocodile, surprised. 'Do you know where I can get some food?' he asked. 'I haven't had anything...