The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

ANTONIO, A VENETIAN MERCHANT, doth complain
Of a melancholy he cannot explain.

Bassanio, his friend,
Asketh if money he will lend;
Said friend wishes to court an heiress in style.

But Antonio's money, you see
Is invested in ships out at sea,
And they won't be sailing home for awhile.

The fair heiress is of Belmont fame;
She lives there and Portia is her name.

She fondly remembers Bassanio still.
She is sad over the terms of her father's will:

She must marry the man who correctly chooseth one of three caskets made of gold, silver and lead;
If the wrong man chooseth the casket that's right, she must be his wife and sleep in his bed (!!!).

There is a moneylender named Shylock,
A moneylender Antonio loves to mock
For the lender's practice of usury;
'Though Shylock loans the money--interest free{?)

There is a catch!

Antonio, being Bassanio's good friend,
Is the guarantor of the money Shylock shall lend;
If Bassanio cannot the loan repay,
Shylock shall take Antonio's flesh away;
A pound to be exact;
That is the contract.

Will Antonio's ships come in?
Or will he lose his precious skin?

Will Bassanio choose the casket that's right?
Or, will he to fair Portia have to say good night?

When Bassanio's a guest in Portia's opulent abode,
She prays he chooseth right, or she'll have to marry a toad (!!!).

All these loose strings
And questions and things
Shall all be tied
And the answers shall be clear
In the final scenes of this play
By the Bard William Shakespeare.