The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act 5, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 2 of The Merry Wives of Windsor from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender. PAGE Come, come. We’ll couch i’ th’ castle ditch till we see the light of our fairies.—Remember, son Slender, my— SLENDER Ay, forsooth, I have spoke with her, and we have a nayword how to know one another. I come 5 to her in white and cry “mum,” she cries “budget,” and by that we know one another. SHALLOW That’s good too. But what needs either your “mum” or her “budget”? The white will decipher her well enough. It hath struck ten o’clock. 10 PAGE The night is dark. Light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let’s away. Follow me. They exit.	Later that night, Page, Shallow, and Slender walk near Windsor Park. Slender says he and Anne have worked out code words to help them recognize one another. Shallow reminds him Anne's going to be wearing all white, so there's no need for code words. Master Page says it's a dark night, which will help them with their plan, and the three continue into the woods, excited.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.

PAGE
Come, come. We’ll couch i’ th’ castle ditch till we
see the light of our fairies.—Remember, son Slender,
my—

SLENDER
Ay, forsooth, I have spoke with her, and we
have a nayword how to know one another. I come 5
to her in white and cry “mum,” she cries “budget,”
and by that we know one another.

SHALLOW
That’s good too. But what needs either your
“mum” or her “budget”? The white will decipher
her well enough. It hath struck ten o’clock. 10

PAGE
The night is dark. Light and spirits will become
it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means
evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his
horns. Let’s away. Follow me.

They exit.

Later that night, Page, Shallow, and Slender walk near Windsor Park.

Slender says he and Anne have worked out code words to help them recognize one another.

Shallow reminds him Anne's going to be wearing all white, so there's no need for code words.

Master Page says it's a dark night, which will help them with their plan, and the three continue into the woods, excited.

The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act 5, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 2 of The Merry Wives of Windsor from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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