Page 1803 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

Dost thou call me fool, boy?

FOOL
All thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with. [145]

KENT
This is not altogether Fool, my Lord.

FOOL
No, faith, lords and great men will not let me; if I had a monopoly out, they
would have part on’t: and ladies too, they will not let me have all the fool to
myself; they’ll be snatching. Nuncle, give me an egg, and I’ll give thee [150]

two crowns.

LEAR
What two crowns shall they be?

FOOL
Why, after I have cut the egg i’th’middle and eat up the meat, the two crowns
of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i’th’middle, and gav’st away both

parts, thou [155] bor’st thine ass on thy back o’er the dirt: thou hadst little
wit in thy bald crown when thou gav’st thy golden one away. If I speak like
myself in this let him be whipp’d that
first finds it so.
Fools had ne’er less grace in a year; [160]

For wise men are grown foppish,
And know not how their wits to wear,
Their manners are so apish.

LEAR
When were you wont to be so full of songs, sirrah?

FOOL

I have used it, Nuncle, e’er since thou mad’st thy [165] daughters thy
mothers; for when thou gav’st them the rod and putt’st down thine own
breeches,
Then they for sudden joy did weep,