Video clips*

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King Leontes of Sicilia has falsely accused his wife Hermione of bearing an illegitimate child fathered by his friend Polixenes. He has ordered his courtier, Antigonus, to abandon the infant on a foreign shore.

Antigonus reluctantly complies in order to save the baby, named Perdita, from being murdered by its jealous father. A storm brews as Antigonus bids farewell to the child, and he exits "pursued by a bear."

An old peasant enters in search of sheep lost by his adolescent son. He discovers the baby and decides to rescue it. The son arrives after having seen Antigonus devoured by the bear and his ship sunk in the storm. The two discover that a cache of gold has been left with the baby for them.

• "Blossom speed thee well"

• "Exit, pursued by a bear"

• "A pretty one, a very pretty one

• "We'll do a good deed on it."

[* these require the latest version of RealPlayer which can be downloaded free here]

• "never curst but when they're hungry"[Abbey Rebuschatis]

• mop-up operations[Joel Short]