The Tempest Read online

  Nothing of him that doth fade

  But doth suffer a sea-change

  Into something rich and strange.

  It’s good, isn’t it? Do you hear how I made him think his father was not only dead, but turned into coral and pearl? Part of the ocean, just like me. I liked that, for it sweetened his sadness a little, and turned his thoughts to magic.

  The spell worked, of course. That young man was spellbound by my music – for Ariel’s music enchants everyone who has the ears to hear it. Oh yes, I tied him with that music as strongly as if its notes had been cords. I used no force against him, yet he was my willing prisoner.

  And he couldn’t even see me! Prospero had ordered me to become invisible for this spell, to blend in with the sand and the sea, so that’s exactly what I did. Using only my wonderful music, I led Ferdinand to Miranda, and then I made him fall in love with her, and she with him.

  What a love-trap that was! Honey-sweet, and honey-smooth – but still as sticky a trap as ever was set. And all the while, I was as invisible as a sea-breeze.

  Not that I really needed to be invisible. Ferdinand and Miranda wouldn’t have seen me even if I had changed myself into a huge blue whale, for straightaway those young people only had eyes for each other. Here’s what Miranda said about Ferdinand when she saw him:

  I might call him

  A thing divine; for nothing natural

  I ever saw so noble.

  I ask you! An ordinary-looking fellow, and she thought he looked like a god! What fools this ‘love’ makes of you humans. And Miranda wasn’t the only one to see things through a haze of magic. Ferdinand was every bit as enchanted.

  Most sure, the goddess

  On whom these airs attend!

  was what he said.

  Ah, young love! Not that I pretend to understand it, for it’s a human emotion that means nothing to me. Airy spirits aren’t bound by such forces, for what’s love but a prison?

  Prospero, of course, was delighted to see his plan working perfectly. He wanted, more than anything, for his daughter to marry King Alonso’s son. That way, one day she’d be Queen of Naples. There had always been a feud between Milan and Naples, you see, and that was the only sure way to end it. At last Milan and Naples would be one kingdom, and Prospero’s family would be on the throne.

  Now, as we know, Ferdinand and Miranda had fallen for one another the moment they met, and you might have thought Prospero would have left it there. After all, things couldn’t have been better. Next would come the first kiss, then a melting of eyes, and that would be that. The lovers would be as good as wed.

  But Prospero had other plans. He had decided to make life difficult for the young lovers, for he wanted to make sure they really did love each other. So, much to Miranda’s horror, Prospero – quite out of the blue – accused Ferdinand of being a spy, who had come to the island to take it over for himself. He shouted at the horrified young man, and told him he would chain his legs together and keep him prisoner.

  You should have seen Miranda’s lovely face! She was astonished as she watched her father roar at her beloved Ferdinand. She couldn’t understand why he wasn’t as happy as she was.

  Then Ferdinand, heroic to the last, raised his sword. But as soon as he did, Prospero pointed his magic staff at him; and the young man knew better than to argue with that. Off he was marched by Prospero, and set to work shifting logs. Unbelievable, isn’t it! But then, as you’re beginning to realise, my master works in mysterious ways.

  I wanted to see what happened next, but I couldn’t wait around. Prospero’s exile could only end when he got his dukedom back from Antonio and, for that to happen, there was going to have to be a whole lot more magic. My freedom would have to wait a little longer. This time, though, I kept my impatience well hidden, for I didn’t want Prospero to remind me again that he was in charge. And his words:

  Thou shalt be free

  As mountain winds

  made me do as I was told quite willingly.

  Those winds of freedom blew happily through my veins as I busied myself with my next task. And, as I worked, I kept an eye on what was happening to those lovers. For I have ways and means of finding out what’s going on, you know. Nothing escapes Ariel’s watchful eye!

  I gazed into a rock pool here, listened into a conch shell there and, in that way, I saw and heard Miranda’s sighs as her beloved Ferdinand heaved those logs.

  I heard her beg him to let her help, and heard him refuse. I laughed as he asked her name and then rolled ‘Miranda’ round and round on his tongue as if it were sugar.

  I smiled as he told her he was a prince and then, remembering that his father was surely drowned, added sadly that he was probably a king. And that smile of mine grew broader as I heard Miranda ask that strange, human question, ‘Do you love me?’ for I knew, of course, Ferdinand’s answer would be ‘Yes’.

  Then, finally, when that bold daughter of Prospero asked Ferdinand to marry her, I fairly whooped with joy! My love-spell was accomplished, and I could feel the mountain wind tugging me away from the sea, away from Prospero’s island, towards freedom.

  Once more, though, I was disappointed. It still wasn’t time for me to be given my precious freedom. That tugging was Prospero, summoning me again. Oh, how insistently did my master call me on that magical afternoon! There were times when I felt I was in two places at one time, or that after my tempest, time and tide themselves stopped.

  When I arrived at his cave, Prospero gave me orders to bring a host of magical spirits to him, for he wanted to put on a special play for Ferdinand and Miranda. This play was to be a ‘masque’ and, because kings and queens pay a great deal of money to have masques performed in their palaces, I knew it was going to be quite something. And I knew the magical spirits would be delighted, too, for nothing pleased them more than singing and dancing and wearing wonderful costumes.

  I couldn’t wait to get started so, faster than a wave breaks, I rounded up as many spirits as I could find. And then what a masque we showed those young lovers!

  If Ferdinand and Miranda had imagined, when they first set eyes on one another, that they were seeing gods, then what Prospero and I conjured up showed them the real thing. It was magnificence itself – a truly spectacular affair. And its purpose wasn’t just to entertain them. It was also a blessing on their lives together.

  First came Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, and she was a sight to behold with her glittering, arched bow of colours and her saffron wings. She summoned Ceres, the goddess of the harvest, and then none other than Juno, the great goddess of light. Together, the three goddesses blessed Ferdinand and Miranda and wished them joy and prosperity and children – all the gifts Nature could bring them.

  Ferdinand was enraptured! But we hadn’t finished – for remember, I had an entire cast of spirits with me. Soon nymphs, and reapers, and (of course!) music surrounded Ferdinand and his bride-to-be. Sound and song filled the air; and joy, happiness, and goodness filled every heart. In those golden moments, this island really seemed like Paradise.

  Until Prospero spoke.

  Now, as you can imagine, in twelve years I have seen my master in many a rage; but never have I seen him so angry, and neither had Miranda. Trembling with fury, he roared at my poor spirits. He told them to stop their dancing, and he ordered them to leave immediately. They did, though they didn’t know why they had to go and were not at all pleased. Everyone was mystified and disappointed, for there seemed no reason to stop the masque. And there was no outward reason. The reason was inside Prospero. His mind was suddenly on darker things.

  Prospero, you see, had another slave, and that was Sycorax’s son, Caliban. And Caliban, as you’d expect of someone with a witch for a mother and the Devil for a father, was not at all trustworthy! Nothing happened on this island without Prospero getting to know about it, and on that day he’d realised Caliban was up to no good. The magnificence of the masque had enchanted him, but all the while he’d known that Caliban ha
d met two other survivors of our tempest – a couple of clowns by the names of Stephano and Trinculo – and between them they had hatched a terrible plot. A murder plot, in fact!

  Prospero knew he couldn’t put it off any longer – he had to act, for his life was in danger. Reality had to be faced, so the masque had to stop and its actors and props and scenery had to be sent away. The masque had seemed like Paradise but, sadly, Paradise isn’t real.

  Our revels now are ended. These our actors,

  As I foretold you, were all spirits and

  Are melted into air, into thin air

  was what Prospero said and, as he turned away from the happy, young lovers and went off to think his sad, dark thoughts, he added:

  We are such stuff

  As dreams are made on, and our little life

  Is rounded in a sleep.

  I’m going to let you into a secret now. I wasn’t going to tell you because, as I’ve said more than once, we airy spirits don’t weep, or feel pity, or love. Airy spirits fly away from all those human emotions, don’t we? Or do we?

  My secret is that, before the masque began, I asked Prospero if he loved me. Yes! Amazing though that sounds, I did. Me – a spirit, whose emotions are all air! And do you know how he answered? He said, Dearly, my delicate Ariel.

  Now, I ask you – why did I want to know that? I don’t ‘do’ love, do I?

  I can only leave you to guess at the answer. Perhaps it was simply because ‘love’ was in the air. Perhaps it was because I knew Prospero was going to give me my liberty and that meant we would soon part for ever. Or perhaps it was because I knew Prospero was right in what he said. I am ‘such stuff as dreams are made on’.

  And if I am, well – dreams are lost if there’s no one to dream them, aren’t they?

  Act Three

  I warned you our story would be all about love, and adventure, and magic, and murder plots. Yes, murder plots – for there were two of those – two wicked plots that transformed this beautiful, peaceful island into a place of violent and murderous thoughts.

  One, as you already know, was hatched by Caliban and his new-found friends. You’ll hear all about that soon! The other, which was hatched against King Alonso, is the one I’ll tell you about first. So, let me take you to the shore where King Alonso, his brother Sebastian, and Prospero’s brother Antonio were shipwrecked, along with Gonzalo and two courtiers called Adrian and Francisco.

  Now, as soon as you hear the name Antonio, you’ll probably guess who was behind this piece of wickedness. For hadn’t Antonio as good as murdered his own brother, Prospero, and his innocent child? And if you consider why Antonio had stooped so low – because he was consumed with greed and the lust for power – that will give you a clue to his motives.

  For he was still greedy and ambitious, and would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. This time, though, his ambition wasn’t for himself, but for his old friend Sebastian. He wanted him to become King of Naples. But, make no mistake, Antonio wasn’t just thinking of Sebastian’s welfare! Oh no – he knew he would benefit, too! After all, if you can’t be king yourself, isn’t being the king’s close friend the next best thing?

  So now let’s have a good look at those men – for they’re certainly worth looking at! They’re the richest and most important men in Italy, and they’re quite a sight to see in their fine wedding clothes. Let me help you picture them.

  First, down there on the sand, is King Alonso. He’s richly dressed but, oh, he doesn’t look much like a great king any more. He’s been driven half-mad with grief, and who can blame him? He’s just said goodbye to his daughter Claribel, who’s married an African king, so there’s little chance he’ll see her again. And now, to crown it all, he thinks his dear son Ferdinand – his pride and joy and heir to his throne – is drowned. No wonder he’s in no mood to listen to good old Gonzalo.

  Gonzalo is gazing round at the island in wonder and, as always, he sees everything that’s good about it. That’s what Gonzalo’s like – he looks on the bright side of things. No wonder my master loved him. He just can’t get over how bright and fresh their clothes are, after all they’ve been through. It’s as though the sea has actually improved them, he says. How clever of him to notice my sea-change! No one else did.

  I must say, he’s got quite an imagination, this old man. Now he’s imagining himself as king of the island, and getting quite carried away at the thought of it. What a true Paradise it could be, with King Gonzalo in charge. There would be no need for laws because everyone would be free to live exactly as they wanted; there would be no machines, no money, no work. Everyone would be equal and live in harmony with Nature. It would be idyllic!

  And all this time, while Gonzalo’s weaving his little fantasies, Antonio and Sebastian are poking fun at him. They’re like a couple of schoolboys, making a fool of him every time he opens his mouth. They’re enjoying having a laugh at the old man’s expense, and maybe it seems like good, clean fun. But don’t be fooled. There’s something sinister about that boyish laughter. Those two may sound good-natured, but underneath their smiles, they’re capable of the most profound evil, as you’re about to see. For now I play my music, and as my magic melody floats towards them on the sea-breeze, they breathe in its enchantment…

  As soon as King Alonso, Gonzalo, and the courtiers hear the first notes, they’re overcome by drowsiness. Gonzalo and the courtiers give in to my sleepy magic at once, but Alonso – though he would love to escape from his sad thoughts – is afraid to sleep. He is a king, after all, and responsible for all his subjects. Who knows what dangers lurk in this strange land?

  Little does King Alonso know that the greatest danger of all is right under his royal nose! His friend and ally Antonio and his own brother Sebastian are not what they seem. Just listen to how that cunning snake Antonio slyly offers to protect his king:

  We two, my lord

  Will guard your person while you take your rest

  And watch your safety.

  Don’t be like King Alonso! Don’t trust Antonio’s words for a second! There he is, that too-trusting king, curled up beside Gonzalo, fast asleep and at peace at last. Now listen again to Antonio. Listen, and you’ll hear what a clever persuader he is.

  See how slowly, slowly his smooth words, like water dripping onto a rock, wear down his friend Sebastian as he persuades him to enter into a murder plot. I think you’ll agree that although it’s evil, it’s brilliant. First of all, hear how he gets Sebastian’s attention and turns his thoughts to murder:

  My strong imagination sees a crown

  Dropping upon thy head.

  Clever, isn’t he? Sebastian can hardly believe what he’s hearing. He thinks he must be having some weird, waking dream. But you can be sure he knows what Antonio’s hinting at. You can be sure that he’s imagining a crown on his head, too.

  Now Antonio puts the next bit of his plan into action. He begins to talk about Ferdinand – remember, he’s the true heir to the throne – and he tells Sebastian there’s no hope that Ferdinand’s still alive.

  ’Tis as impossible that he’s undrowned

  As he that sleeps here, swims

  he says.

  Then the crafty fox goes on to talk about Ferdinand’s sister Claribel – because if he’s dead, she’s the next in line to the throne. Listen as he tells Sebastian how far away she is. Oh how shamelessly he exaggerates! It’s true that Claribel is far away in Tunisia, but Antonio says she’s so far away that the journey would take as long as it takes a baby to grow into a man!

  See the spark of interest in Sebastian’s eyes? How it glints and grows. His breath’s coming faster as he listens and begins to realise that these dreams could become a reality. After all, when it comes to getting rid of relations who stand in the way of your ambition, no one is a bigger expert than Antonio. He’s done it all before and reaped the rewards!

  However, there’s one question Sebastian has to ask, and it’s a question any decent person would:

&
nbsp; But for your conscience?

  For just a few moments, King Alonso is safe; for Sebastian’s question means he could never live with himself if he murdered his own brother. But Antonio’s too clever to admit to feeling any guilt. His face is a picture of scorn, and he doesn’t take long to answer. He doesn’t need to wonder whether his conscience bothers him. Of course it doesn’t!

  If my conscience was a blister on my toe, he tells Sebastian. I’d just put on slippers!

  And with that problem out of the way, Antonio’s hand is twitching to draw his sword and do the deed. Any minute now, he knows, the sleepers could wake up. Listen carefully, for here comes his masterstroke:

  He offers to do the killing! How clever is that? He tells Sebastian that all he has to do is get rid of the feeble old Gonzalo. It would, of course, be too risky to let him live for, unlike the others, he’d be sure to want justice done.

  Now what do you think? Don’t you almost admire Antonio? What a wicked genius he is, for the one thing that might change Sebastian’s mind would be the thought of doing the deed. After all, killing your own brother is a terrible thing to do, no matter what the rewards, if you have a conscience.

  That was when I intervened, for at that moment the would-be murderers raised their swords and prepared to strike. Invisible as the air, I floated close to Gonzalo, and sang my song into his ear:

  While you here do snoring lie,

  Open-eyed conspiracy

  His time doth take.

  If of life you keep a care,

  Shake off slumber and beware.

  Awake, awake!

  Softly and gently, my music weaved its magic around his dreams, alerting him to danger, and waking him.

  I had to wake Gonzalo, of course. Prospero would never, ever have let his old friend be harmed. And when I did, I can tell you all hell broke loose! The moment Gonzalo opened his eyes and saw Antonio and Sebastian with their swords drawn, he cried out and shook the king awake. (That kind old man would think of the king’s safety before his own.)

  For a moment Antonio and Sebastian must have thought they’d been found out. But you won’t be surprised to hear that they managed to worm their way out of trouble. Looking as innocent as new-born babies, they said they’d heard a dreadful bellowing and, thinking bulls or lions were coming, had bravely rushed to defend the sleeping king. What a devious trickster Antonio was, and how willing Sebastian was to be led astray. And those villains got away with it, too.