Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Smokey, this be not the foul jungles of the darkest East Orient. This be ninepins. We are bound by laws.

You know, sometimes I think I'm a good writer.

And then other times, I discover that someone has rewritten the script for "The Big Lebowski" in the style of Shakespeare. And lo, I am humbled.

[Outside LEBOWSKI’s castle. Enter THE KNAVE (with a Persian rug) and BRANDT]

BRANDT
I pray you, Knave, remember us in future visitations.

THE KNAVE
Faith, surely when next I travel in this neighbourhood, I will call upon his lordship’s good honour, and beseech his refreshment.

[Enter BONNIE LEBOWSKI and OLIVER]

BONNIE
[sings]
“With toe-nails of verdant and forester’s green
With a hey-nonny-no and a hey-nonny-nonny
Blow thrice on my toe-nails and I’ll be thy queen
And ever preserve me as thine, blithe and Bonnie.”
[to THE KNAVE]
I pray you, sir, blow.

THE KNAVE
Marry! But here’s a lady of good interest, whose toe-nails are the very green of the common hump, where grass doth grow and where country lovers do foot. Whither shall I blow, maid? For I am but a traveling tumbleweed, and may well be carried by any wind, e’en south.

BONNIE
I mean only the wind in thine own maw in this case; blow, then, serve your turn and cool my hot temper.

THE KNAVE
Sayst thou that I must blow upon thy foot, painted lady?

BONNIE
I ask this deed of you thrice now; and that which a damsel craves constantly is the service of a tongue most moved in capability. Look to my foot; I cannot reach that far. Blow, wind!

THE KNAVE
I fear thy charms. Will not thy consort mind
If I bestow his lady fair my wind?

BONNIE
Nay, there’s naught for which Oliver carest;
He mindeth not, for he’s a nihilist.

BRANDT
Our court’s noble guest must not tarry, Lady Lebowski.

THE KNAVE
Lady Lebowski? Then thou art Bonnie? A merry wife indeed!

BONNIE
And a lady of good housekeeping and agriculture besides, minded to economy and all practicalities. Were thou to bring a gentle cock to mine bed-chamber, I might help him to success for ten shillings.

THE KNAVE
Such a lady of talents I have scarcely seen.

BRANDT
Yes, a most forthright jest! Free of spirit and good generosity, she is the nimble nymph of Neptune, and we mark her with good humour.

BONNIE
Free of spirit but ne’er free for flesh. Were I to regale thee with parts of my humour, I would not bid Brandt hear the play ere he paid a shilling himself.

BRANDT
Hark, a marvelous jest; but, I pray you, we dare not tarry. Come, Knave.

THE KNAVE
Yea, I shall come, and then return with money,
Or lose the labour’d love of fair Bonnie.

[Exeunt]


Read the whole thing here, and wonder at the joys of iambic coenameter.

1 comment:

M. Gants v4.0 said...

Hehe, interesting find.

Thanks for that.