Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor 62
GRUMIO. Out of their saddles into the dirt; and thereby hangs a tale.
CURTIS. Let ' s ha ' t, good Grumio. GRUMIO. Lend thine ear. CURTIS. Here. GRUMIO. [ Striking him.] There. CURTIS. This ' tis to feel a tale, not to hear a tale.
GRUMIO. And therefore ' tis called a sensible tale; and this cuff was but to knock at your car and beseech listening. Now I begin: Imprimis, we came down a foul hill, my master riding behind my mistress,--
CURTIS. Both of one horse? GRUMIO. What ' s that to thee? CURTIS. Why, a horse.
GRUMIO. Tell thou the tale: but hadst thou not crossed me, thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell and she under her horse; thou shouldst have heard in how miry a place, how she was bemoiled; how he left her with the horse upon her; how he beat me because her horse stumbled; how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me: how he swore; how she prayed, that never prayed before; how I cried; how the horses ran away; how her bridle was burst; how I lost my crupper; with many things of worthy memory, which now shall die in oblivion, and thou return unexperienced to thy grave.
CURTIS. By this reckoning he is more shrew than she.
GRUMIO. Ay; and that thou and the proudest of you all shall find when he comes home. But what talk I of this? Call forth Nathaniel, Joseph,