5

Under the greenwood tree
Who loves to lie with me,

And tune his merry note

Unto the sweet bird's throat,

Come hither, come hither, come hither:

Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather.

The laying of the table still went on, and all joined in 10 the second stanza, even the melancholy Jaques.

15

Who doth ambition shun,

And loves to live in the sun,
Seeking the food he eats,

And pleased with what he gets,

Come hither, come hither, come hither:

Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather.

Suddenly, and before they had more than seated them20 selves around the table, a youth with drawn sword rushed upon them. It was Orlando.

Orlando. Forbear, and eat no more!

Jaques.

Why, I have eat none yet.

Orl. Nor shalt not, till necessity be served.

He dies that touches any of this fruit
Till I and my affairs are answerèd.

Jaq. An you will not be answered with reason, I must

die.

Duke S. What would you have? Your gentleness

shall force

More than your force move us to gentleness.

Orl. I almost die for food; and let me have it.

Duke S. Sit down and feed, and welcome to our table. Orl. Speak you so gently? Pardon me, I pray you:

If ever you have looked on better days,

If ever been where bells have knolled to church,

If ever sat at any good man's feast,

If ever from your eyelids wiped a tear
And know what 't is to pity and be pitied,
Let gentleness my strong enforcement be:

In the which hope I blush, and hide my sword.
Duke S. True is it that we have seen better days,
And have with holy bell been knolled to church
And sat at good men's feasts and wiped our eyes
Of drops that sacred pity hath engendered:
And therefore sit you down in gentleness
And take upon command what help we have
That to your wanting may be ministered.

Orl. Then but forbear your food a little while,

Whiles, like a doe, I go to find my fawn
And give it food. There is an old poor man,
Who after me hath many a weary step

Limped in pure love: till he be first sufficed,
5 Oppressed with two weak evils, age and hunger,
I will not touch a bit.

And we will nothing waste till you return.

Orl. I thank ye; and be blest for your good comfort!

[Reënter ORLANDO, with ADAM.]

[Exit.]

Duke S. Welcome. Set down your venerable burden 10 And let him feed.

Orl. I thank you most for him.

Adam.

So had you need:

I scarce can speak to thank you for myself.

Duke S. Welcome; fall to: I will not trouble you As yet, to question you about your fortunes.

15 Give us some music; and, good cousin, sing.

So Amiens sang to these men, who had been ill-treated

by other men, a song in praise of the forest:

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,

Thou art not so unkind

As man's ingratitude;

Thy tooth is not so keen,

Because thou art not seen,

Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,

Thou dost not bite so nigh

As benefits forgot:

Though thou the waters warp,

Thy sting is not so sharp

As friend remembered not.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!

This life is most jolly.

Adapted.

the forest of Arden: Ardennes, France. There was, however, a forest of Arden near Shakespeare's own home, and this was doubtless in the poet's mind. for ́ester: an officer appointed to take care of a forest and to look after the game. · Amiens (ä ́mi-an′). — Jaques (jăk'wěs): an unhappy nobleman attending the Duke. - answered: satisfied.. an: if. — knolled: chimed. enforce'ment: assistance; reënforcement. sufficed: satisfied. · fall to begin. - because unkind: unnatural; against the laws of kindred. thou art not seen: there is much discussion as to the meaning of this line. One edition reads "because thou art foreseen."-nigh: closely. — the waters warp: ice changes the appearance of water. The original meaning of warp was change, as in this case. From this we get the meaning which is common now of shrink. as friend remembered not: as a friend feels who is forgotten.