TALE V - MEG AND ALICE; THE MERRY MAIDS OF WINDSOR

Summary

“Merry, and yet honest too.”

The Merry Wives of Windsor.

“Have ye heard the news, mother?” said a girl about twelve years old, bouncing through the open door of a cottage where sat her parents, gaffer and gammer Quickly; “have ye heard that mistress May and mistress Gay have both been brought to bed this morning–and that they have a goodly girl apiece?”

“Girls; pshaw!” ejaculated John Quickly.

“And why shouldn't they be girls, if they like it, John? And why shouldn't girls be as good as boys?” asked Gilian, his wife; “I know you were like one wood, when ye learned that your own children were both wenches; but for my part I'd never ha' changed our Nell and Poll for any knave-bearn of them all.”

“In the first place, boys can work; and girls are of no use;” quoth John.

“Of no use! Can't they be good housewives, John?” asked his wife.

“Can be? Ay. But are they? eh? Seldom, I wot;” grumbled John. “There's our Nell. What did she do, trow?–but as soon as she grew to be a likely wench in her teens, wasn't she teen enough to me? Wasn't she always gadding about, running after the fellows, and never content, till she got her cousin Bob Quickly to marry her? And now haven'tthey set off to London to get their living there?