bush: under which bush's shade
A lioness, with udders all drawn dry,
Lay couching, head on ground, with catlike watch,
When that the sleeping man should stir; for 'tis
The royal disposition of that beast
To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead:
This seen, Orlando did approach the man
And found it was his brother, his elder brother.
O, I have heard him speak of that same brother;
And he did render him the most unnatural
That lived amongst men.
And well he might so do,
For well I know he was unnatural.
But, to Orlando: did he leave him there,
Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness?
Twice did he turn his back and purposed so;
But kindness, nobler ever than revenge,
And nature, stronger than his just occasion,
Made him give battle to the lioness,
Who quickly fell before him: in which hurtling
From miserable slumber I awaked.
Are you his brother?
Wast you he rescued?
Was't you that did so oft contrive to kill him?
'Twas I; but 'tis not I I do not shame
To tell you what I was, since my conversion
So sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.
But, for the bloody napkin?
By and by.
When from the first to last betwixt us two
Tears our recountments had most kindly bathed,
As how I came into that desert place:--
In brief, he led me to the gentle duke,
Who gave me fresh array and entertainment,
Committing me unto my brother's love;
Who led me instantly unto his cave,
There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm
The lioness had torn some flesh away,
Which all this while had bled; and now he fainted
And cried, in fainting, upon Rosalind.
Brief, I recover'd him, bound up his wound;
And, after some small space, being strong at heart,
He sent me hither, stranger as I am,
To tell this story, that you might excuse
His broken promise, and to give this napkin
Dyed in his blood unto the shepherd youth
That he in sport doth call his Rosalind.
Why, how now, Ganymede! sweet Ganymede!
Many will swoon when they do look on blood.
There is more in it. Cousin Ganymede!
Look, he recovers.
I would I were at home.
We'll lead you thither.
I pray you, will you take him by the arm?
Be of good cheer, youth: you a man! you lack a
man's heart.
I do so, I confess it. Ah, sirrah, a body would
think this was well counterfeited! I pray you, tell
your brother