Pro.
I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates,
Against my life; the minute of their plot
Is almost come.—
What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel! Enter Ariel.

Ari.
Thy thoughts I cleave to; what's thy pleasure?

Pro.
Spirit,
We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

Ari.
Ay, my commander.

Pro.
Where didst thou leave these varlets?

Ari.
They were red hot with drinking, mighty sir;
So full of valour, that they smote the air,
For breathing in their faces; beat the ground,
For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project:—so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd through

Tooth'd briars, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns,
Which enter'd their frail skins:—at last, I left them
I'the filthy mantled pool beside the marsh.

Pro.
Thy shape invisible retain thou still.
Thou and thy meaner followers your last service
Did worthily perform; and I must use you
In such another trick: go, call the spirits,
O'er whom I gave thee power, quick to this place,
And let them bring the trumpery in my cave,
For stale to catch these thieves.

Ari.
Presently?

Pro.
Ay, with a twink. [Exit Ariel.
O, this Caliban!—
A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, are all lost, quite lost;
And as, with age, his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers.—I will plague them all,
Even to roaring. Enter Ariel and other Spirits, with Garments.
Come, hang them on this line. [Exeunt Prospero, Ariel, and the other Spirits. Enter Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano, all wet.

Cal.
'Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
Hear a foot fall: we now are at his cell.

Step.

Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy, has done little better than played the jack with us.

Trin.

Monster, I do smell all horsepond; at which my nose is in great indignation.

Step.

So is mine.—Do you hear, monster? If I should take a displeasure against you; look you—

Trin.

Thou wert but a lost monster.

Cal.
Good my lord, give me thy favour still;
Be patient; for the prize I'll bring thee to,
Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore, speak softly:
All's hush'd as midnight yet.
SONG—BY CALIBAN.
  The owl is abroad,
  The bat and the toad,
And so is the cat-a-mountain
  The ant and the mole,
  Sit both in a hole,
And frog peeps out of the fountain.

Trin.

Ay, but to lose our bottle in the pool—

Step.

There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

Trin.

That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

Step.

I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

Cal.
'Pr'ythee, my king, be quiet:—see'st thou here,
This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter:
Do that good mischief, which may make this island
Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
For aye thy foot licker.

Step.

Give me thy hand: I do begin to have bloody thoughts.

Trin.

O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! —Look, what a wardrobe here is for thee!

Cal.

Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.

Trin.

O, ho, monster, we know what belongs to a frippery;—O, King Stephano!

Step.

Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I'll have that gown.

Trin.

Thy grace shall have it.

Cal.
The dropsy drown this fool!—What do you mean,
To doat thus on such luggage? Let it alone,
And do the murder first:—if he awake,
From crown to toe he'll fill our skins with pinches;
Make us strange stuff.

Step.

Be you quiet, monster.

Trin.

Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and away with the rest.

Cal.
I will have none on't: we shall lose our time,
And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes,
With foreheads villanous low.

Step.

Monster, lay to your fingers; help to bear this away, where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn you out of my kingdom: go to, carry this.

Trin.

And this.

Step.

Ay, and this.