Two Drovers (The), a tale in two chapters, laid in the reign of George III., written by Sir Walter Scott (1827). It is one of the “Chronicles of the Canongate” supposed to be told by Mr. Croftangry. Robin Oig M’Combich, a Highland drover, revengeful and proud, meets with Harry Wakefield, a jovial English drover, and quarrels with him about a pasture-field. They fight in Heskett’s ale-house, but are separated. Oig goes on his way to get a dagger, with which he returns to the ale-house, and stabs Harry who is three parts drunk. Being tried for murder, he is condemned and executed.
Two Gentlemen of Vero´na, a drama by Shakespeare, the story of which is taken from the Diana of Montemayor (sixteenth century). The tale is this: Protheus and Valentine were two friends, and Protheus was in love with a lady of Verōna, named Julia. Valentine went to sojourn in Milan, and there fell in love with Silvia, the duke’s daughter, who was promised in marriage to Thurio. Protheus, being sent by his father to Milan, forgot Julia, fell in love with Silvia, and, in order to carry his point, induced the duke to banish Valentine, who became the captain of banditti, into whose hands Silvia fell. Julia, unable to bear the absence of her lover, dressed in boy’s clothes, and, going to Milan, hired herself as a page to Protheus, and when Silvia was lost, the duke, with Thurio, Protheus and his page, went in quest of her. She was soon discovered, but when Thurio attempted to take possession of her, Valentine said to him, “I dare you to touch her;” and Thurio replied, “None but a fool would fight for a girl.” The duke, disgusted, gave Silvia to Valentine; and Protheus, ashamed of his conduct, begged pardon of Valentine, discovered his page to be Julia, and married her (1595).
Two Kings of Brentford (The). In the duke of Buckingham’s farce called The Rehearsal (1671), the two kings enter hand-in-hand, dance together, sing together, walk arm-in-arm, and, to heighten the absurdity, they are made to smell of the same nosegay (act ii. 2.).
Two-Legged Mare (The), a gallows. Vice says to Tyburn:
I will help to bridle the two-legged mare.
Like Will to Like, etc. (1587).
Two-Shoes (Goody), a nursery tale by Oliver Goldsmith (1765). Goody Two-shoes was a very poor child, whose delight at having a pair of shoes was so unbounded that she could not forbear telling every one she met that she had “two shoes,” whence her name. She acquired knowledge and became wealthy. The title-page states that the tale is for the benefit of those
Who from a state of rags and care,
And having shoes but half a pair,
Their fortune and their fame should fix,