Showing posts with label Pronouns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pronouns. Show all posts

Monday 7 October 2024

Thee/Thou






Ishmael’ : 
Ahoy There! Someone aboard?
Is this The Captain 
of The Pequod?

Snooty Quaker Investor :
What Doest Thee want 
of The Captain?

Ishmael’ : 
We were thinking of shipping.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
Thee art Thinking 
of Shipping…


Ishmael’ : 
I art.... I mean
I Doest.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
Making Sport of Me, lad?


Ishmael’ : 
No. I just fell into that 
manner of Speech.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
If I weren't a Quaker and 
Man of Peace, I'd fetch Thee 
clout on the side of Thy Head,
My Lad, just to make sure.

I see Thee art no 
New Bedford-man.
Doest know nothing at all 
about Whaling, I daresay.

Ishmael’ :
I've had several voyages
in the merchant service.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
Merchant service? Flukes, man.
What takes Thee whaling?

Ishmael’ :
Sir, I want to see What 
Whaling is like.


Snooty Quaker Investor :
Have You seen Ahab
The Captain of The Ship?
If You want to know 
What Whaling is, then 
You'll know by clapping 
an eye on Captain Ahab —

You'll see A Man torn apart 
from crown to heel and  
spliced-together with 
sperm whalebone in place 
of what's missing.

His looks tell more than 
any church-had sermon 
about the mortality of man.

Ishmael’ :
And a whale did that?

Snooty Quaker Investor :
A Whale as big as An Island.
Art Thee the Man to 
pitch a harpoon down 
a whale's throat and 
jump after it?

Ishmael’ :
I am, sir... if it should be positively 
indispensable to do so.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
Come along, then.
Bildad, stir yourself.
This Young Man says 
He wants to ship.

Bildad :
Hast ever been 
pirate, hast Thee?


Ishmael’ :
Never.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
Didst not murder Thy 
last Captain at sea?

Ishmael’ :
Indeed not.

Bildad :
He'll Do.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
What Pay shall 
We give Him?

Bildad :
The 777th part.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
Would not be too much?

Bildad :
For this strapping lad? 
Not half enough.

Snooty Quaker Investor :
Captain Peleg, Thee hast a generous heart.
But thee must consider the duty thee owest
to the other owners of this ship...
widows and orphans, many of them.
If we too abundantly reward
the labors of this young man...
we'll be taking bread from their mouths.
I'm putting him down for the 
300th part of the profit.


You hear, Bildad? 
The 300th part, I say.


"Lay not up for yourself
treasures upon earth, where 
moth and rust do corrupt."
-My last pay was--
-The 777th part seems 
fair enough to me.
-The 300th.
-Don't Thank me, lad. 
I only Do Thee justice.

What holds Thee? Sign.

Ishmael’ :
Sir, it's Captain Ahab.


What about him?

Ishmael’ :
Was not Ahab of old a very wicked King?
And when he was slain, did 
the dogs not lick his blood?


Look, lad — Captain Ahab 
did not name himself.
Sign the paper now, 
and wrong him not
because he happens to 
have a wicked name.
Now, for that Son of Darkness
that is Thy Friend --

Ishmael’ :
QueequegStep forward.


What Say You, Bildad?


I suspect Thee art not a Christian.
Doest Thee attend Church on Sundays?
Doest Thee know and obey
The Ten Commandments?


God, man.
Take the pen. Make Thy mark.
Sign now for a 60th part 
of Our Profit — Put there, quick.