The Baseless Fabric of This Vision

By William Shakespeare, Nicholas Rowe, ed. [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsYes, the wind is getting stronger, do not be afraid, Miranda, because we will reach… an island. Yes, there will be an island, a magic island. Our boat will find it. And on the island there will be… what? Two magic creatures? All right, two magic creatures, one good and one bad. And we will live on the island and you will grow up — yes, that was a big wave, never mind, little one. Don’t be afraid. You’ll grow up on the island with me and the two magic creatures, and I’ll control them both with magic, and you’ll play with the good one and the bad one will carry water for us and be our servant and never hurt you. And when you’re all grown up there’ll be another big storm, yes, like just this one, with thunder and lightning and great big waves tossing the boats about so they’re afraid they’ll capsize. But we’ll be safe on our magic island, and out in that storm in a ship will be my evil brother Antonio. Yes, your Uncle Antonio who put us in this little boat, he’ll be frightened, not us, and with him will be the king, and the king’s son, Ferdinand. He’ll be all grown up too. And their ship will wreck itself on our magic island and Ferdinand will fall in love with you, and you’ll be a queen, and the king will give me my dukedom back and Antonio will apologise and I’ll go back to Milan and my library and — what? Yes, I wish we could go back to Milan now too, but here we are in this little boat and the tempest getting stronger, so let’s just think about our magic island, because I hope it’s out here somewhere.

23rd May 2010