Enter AERUH and MALUS SYL-VESTRIS, a pair of JESTERS.
AERUH
I tell thee, rosemary is like a pine
but with a spicy taste.
MALUS
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Art thou to claim
that needles base of pine have not a spice?
AERUH
A needle base of pine is merely base.
MALUS
โTis not when held, comparing, to anthos.
AERUH
My dearest Malus, needles thou'st eaten?
MALUS
How many moons have we as friends seen rise?
How many suns have we as friends seen set?
Thou sixteen seasons in my heart Iโve held,
and hope that I in thine hast been the same.
With brotherhood as rich and old as this,
thou needst not ask me such frivolities.
AERUH
I know thou likely has, to tell the truth,
but I would not assume.
MALUS
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Well, yes, I have.
A multitude of types Iโve eaten too.
Iโll tell thee now: the best (though it is strange)
is single-leaf pinyon.
AERUH
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย And it has spice?
MALUS
I truly wish that I could tell thee this,
but now, i'faith, I cannot fully tell,
the difference in classifying thus:
to say โhas spiceโ or merely โherbal strengthโ.
AERUH
To tell this tale most clearly it would seem
that eating needles from a pineโs required.
MALUS
Aye, it would seem that thatโs the task at hand,
but caution tells that this is whatโs to do:
eat only needles of the honest pine,
and none of lying leaf with pinelike shape.
AERUH
Iโll eat them all.
MALUS
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย I prithee, stay thyself.
AERUH
Roulette with leaves.
MALUS
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย At least restrain from yew.
MALUS
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย That is all can we do.
The scholars tell that needles true of pine
can be distinguished from the lying yew
by sheathlike clothing all along the base;
the yew has no such guard.
AERUH
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย With this new truth
I now will venture out into the wood
and seek the pines and pinelike fakes alike
to stare them down and learn their secret truths.
MALUS
With this thou canst at long and weary last
Discover for thyself my lifeโs own path.
MACDUFF.
Yo dudes that king thereโs dead. Like dead as FUCK.
