name his name; and tell them plainly, he is Snug the joiner. Quin. Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things; that is, to bring the moon-light into a chamber: for you know, Pyramus and Thisby meet by moon-light. Snug. Doth the moon shine, that night we play our play? Bot. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanac; und out moonshine, find out moonshine. Quin. Yes, it doth shine that night. Bot. Why, then you may leave a casement of the great chamber window, where we play, open; and the moon may shine in at the casement. Quin. Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lanthorn, and say, he comes to disfigure, o to present, the person of moon-shine. Then, there is another thing: we must have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisby, says the story, did talk through the chinks of a wall. Snug. You never can bring in a wall.- What say you, Bottom? Bot. Some man or other must present wall: and let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisby whisper. Quin. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin: when you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake; and so every one according to his cue. Enter Puck behind. Re-enter QUINCE. Quin. Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated. [Exit. Bot. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. [Sings. The ousel cock, so black of hue, The wren with little quill. Tila. What angel wakes me from my flowery [Waking. bed! Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, Whose note full many a man doth mark, or, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? who would give a bird the lie, though he cry, cuckoo, never so! Tita. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again: Mine ear is much enamor'd of thy note, So is mine eye enthrall'd to thy shape; And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me, On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee. Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that: And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days: The more the pity, that some honest neighbors will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion. Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swag- get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine gering here, So near the cradle of the fairy queen? What, a play toward! I'll be an auditor; An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause. Quin. Speak, Pyramus:-Thisby, stand forth. Pyr. Thisby, the flowers of odious savors sweetQuin. Odors, odors. Pyr. odors savors sweet: So doth thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.But, hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile, And by and by I will to thee appear. [Exit. Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here! [Aside.-Exit. This. Must I speak now? Quin. Ay, marry, must you: for you must understand, he goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again. This. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue, Of color like the red rose on triumphant brier, Most briskly juvenal, und eke most lovely Jew, As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb. Quin. Ninus's tomb, man: Why you must not speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus: you speak all your part at once, cuess and all.-Pyramus, enter; your cue is past; it is, never tire. Re-enter PUCK and BOTTOM with an Ass's head. This. O,- As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine :Quin. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray, masters! ily, masters! help! [Exeunt Clowns. Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier; Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound, A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire; And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. [Exit. Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them, to make me afeard. own turn. Tita. Out of this wood do not desire to go; Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. I am a spirit of no common rate : The summer still doth tend upon my state, 1 Fai. Ready. 2 Fai. 3 Fai. And I. And I. 4 Fai. Where shall we go? Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes; With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; Feed him with apricocks and dewberries, And, for night-tapers, crop their waxen thighs, The honey bags steal from the humble-bees, And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes, To have my love to bed, and to arise; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes: Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. 1 Fai. Hail mortal! 2 Fai. Hail! 3 Fai. Hail! 4 Fai. Hail! Bot. I pray you, commend me to mistress Squash, your mother, and to master Peascod, your father. Good master Peas-blossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance too. Your name, I beseech you, sir? Mus. Mustard-seed. Bot. Good master Mustard-seed, I know your patience well: that same cowardly, giant-like oxbeef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house: I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you more acquaintance, good master Mustard-seed. Tita. Come wait upon him; lead him to my bower. 1 Jǝke. Here comes my massenger.-How now, mad spirit? Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love. Dem. You spend your passion on a mispris'd mood: I am not guilty of Lysander's blood; Her. I pray thee, tell me then, that he is well. ing troth, A million fail, confounding oath on oath. Ohe. About the wood go swifter than the wind, And Helena of Athens look thou find: All fancy-sick she is, and pale of cheer, With sighs of love, that cost the fresh blood dear: And forth my mimic comes: When they him spy, I'll charm his eyes, against she do appear. As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls; strong, Made senseless things begin to do them wrong: I led them on in this distracted fear, And left sweet Pyramus translated there: Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. Puck. I took him sleeping,- that is finish'd too,And the Athenian woman by his side; That, when he wak'd, of force she must be ey'd. Enter DEMETRIUS and HERMIA. Obe. Stand close; this is the same Athenian. Puck. This is the woman, but not this the man. Dem. O, why rebuke you him that loves you so? Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. Her. Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse; The sun was not so true unto the day, the bounds Of maiden patience. Hast thou slain him then? Simple fellows. Puck. I go, I go; look how I go; Let her shine as gloriously Re-enter PUCK. Puck. Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand; And the youth, mistook by me, Shall we their fond pageant see?: O, what fools these mortals be! [Exit. Obe. Stand aside: the noise they make, Puck. Then will two at once, woo one; Enter LYSANDER and HELENA. Lys. Why should you think, that I should woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears: Hel. You do advance your cunning more and perfect divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? 1 Mistaken. a Countenance. But you must join, in souls, to mock me too? To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, A trim exploit, a manly enterprise, To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes, A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. Hel. Never did mockers waste more idle breath. Helen, it is not so. Dem. Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear. Look, where thy love comes; yonder is thy dear. Enter HERMIA. Her. Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, The ear more quick of apprehension makes; Lys. Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go? Her. What love could press Lysander from my side? Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide, Fair Helena: who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery oese and eyes of light. Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know, The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? Her. You speak not as you think; it cannot be. Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd, All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence? Two lovely berries moulded on one stem: Her. I am amazed at your passionate words: • Heartily. • Circles. • Ingenious. But by your setting on, by your consent? Her. Sweet, do not scorn her so. Dem. If she cannot entreat, I can compel. Lys. Thou canst compel no more than she entreat; Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers. Helen, I love thee; by my life, I do; I swear by that which I will lose for thee, Her. Lysander, whereto tends all this? Lys. Away, you Ethiop! Dem. No, no, sir:-he will Or I will shake thee from me, like a serpent. her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so. Her. What, can you do me greater harm, than hate? Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love? Since night, you lov'd me, yet, since night you left me: Why, then you left me-O, the gods forbid!In earnest, shall I say? Lus. Ay, by my life; Her. O me! you juggler! you canker blossom! You thief of love! what, have you come by night And stol'n my love's heart from him? Hel. Fine, i'faith! Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear Impaitent answers from my gentle tongue? Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet you! Her. Puppet! why so? Ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that she hath made compare Hel. I pray you, though you mock me, gentle Hel. Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. I evermore did love you, Hermia, Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you; I told him of your stealth unto this wood: Her. Why, get you gone: Who is't that hinders you? Hel. A foolish heart that I leave here behind. With Demetrius. Lys. Be not afraid: she shall not harm thee, Helena. Dem. No, sir; she shall not, though you take her part. Hel. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd: She was a vixen, when she went to school; And, though she be but little, she is fierce. Her. Little again? nothing but low and little?Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? Let me come to her. Lys. Get you gone, you dwarf; You are too officious Dem. Follow? nay, I'll go with thee cheek by jole. [Exeunt Lys, and DEM. Her. You, mistress. all this coil is 'long of you: Nay, go not back. Hel. I will not trust you, I; Nor longer stay in your curst company. Your hands, than mine, are quicker for a fray. My legs are longer though, to run away. [Exit. Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say. Exit, pursuing HELENA. Obe. This is thy negligence: still thou mistak'st, Or else commit'st thy knaveries wilfully. Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. Did not you tell me, I should know the man By the Athenian garments he had on? And so far blameless proves my enterprize, That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes: And so far am I glad it so did sort, As this their jangling I esteem a sport. Obe. Thou seest, these lovers seek a place to fight: Hie, therefore, Robin, overcast the night; The starry welkin cover thou anon With drooping fog, as black as Acheron; And lead these testy rivals so astray, As one come not within another's way. Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue, Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong; And sometime rail thou like Demetrius; And from each other look thou lead them thus, Till o'er their brows death counterfeiting sleep With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep: Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye; Whose liquor hath this virtuous property, To take from thence all error, with his might, And make his eye-balls roll with wonted sight. When they next wake all this derision Shall seem a dream, and fruitless vision; And back to Athens shall the lovers wend, With league, whose date till death shall never end. Whiles I in this affair do thee employ, I'll to my queen, and beg her Indian boy; And then I will her charmed eye release From monster's view, and all things shall be peace. Puck. My fairy lord, this must be done with haste, 3 Foolish. Anciently, knot-grass was believed to prevent the growth of children. • Go. • Pretend. For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast, At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there, Troop home to church-yards: damned spirits all, For fear lest day should look their shames upon, I with the Morning's Love have oft made sport; I will lead them up and down: Here comes one. Enter LYSANDER. Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? Speak thou now. Puck. Here, villain; drawn and ready. Where art thou? Lys. I will be with thee straight. To plainer ground. Dem. Follow me then [Exit LYSANDER, as following the voice. Enter DEMETRIUS. Lysander! speak again Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled! Speak. In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head? Puck. Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars, I'll whip thee with a rod: He is defil'd, Dem. Re-enter LYSANDER. When I come where he calls, then he is gone. Puck. Ho, ho! ho, ho! Coward, why com'st thou not? Dem. Abide me, if thou dar'st; for well I wot, Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place; And dar'st not stand, nor look me in the face. Where art thou? Puck. Come hither; I am here. Dem. Nay, then, thou inock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear, If ever I thy face by daylight see: [Lies down and sleeps. Enter HELENA, Hel. O weary night. O long and tedious night, Abate thy hours: shine, comforts, from the east; That I may back to Athens, by day-light, From these that my poor company detest:And, sleep, that sometime shuts up sorrow's eye, Steal me awhile from mine own company. [Sleeps Puck. Yet but three? Come one more; Two of both kinds, make up four. Here she comes, curst and sad:Cupid is a knavish lad, Thus to make poor females mad. "Cephalus, the paramour of Aurora. SCENE I-The same. [Lies down. ACT IV. Enter TITANIA and BOTTOM, Fairies attending: Tita. Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed, And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head, Peas. Ready. I then did ask of her her changeling child; Bot. Scratch my head, Peas-blossom.- Where's But as the fierce vexation of a dream. monsieur Cobweb? Cob. Ready. But first I will release the fairy queen. [Touching her eyes with an herb. Bot. Monsieur Cobweo; good monsicur, get your weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped See, as thou wast wont to see: humble-bee on the top of a thistle; and, good mon- Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower sieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret yourHath such force and blessed power. self too much in the action, monsieur; and, good Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen. monsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not: I Tita. My Oberon! what visions have I seen! would be loath to have you overflown with a honey-Methought, I was enamor'd of an ass. bag, signior.-Where's monsieur Mustard-seed? Must. Ready. Bot. Give me your nief, monsieur Mustard-seed. Pray you, leave your courtesy, good monsieur. Must. What's your will? Bot. Nothing, good monsieur, but to help cavalero Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber's, monsieur; for, methinks, I am marvellous hairy about the face and I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch. Tita. What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love? Bot. I have a reasonable good ear in music: let us have the tongs and the bones. Tita. Or, say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat. Bot. Truly, a peck of provender; I could munch your dry good oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay; good hay, sweet hay hath no fellow. Tita. I have a venturous fairy that shall seek The squirrel's board, and fetch thee new nuts. Bot. I had rather have a handful, or two, of dried peas. But I pray you, let none of your people stir me: I have an exposition of sleep come upon me. Tita. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms. Fairies, begone, and be all ways away. [Exeunt Fairies. [They sleep. OBERON advances. Enter PUCK. Obe. There lies your love. How came these things to pass? Obe. Sound, music. [Still music.] Come, my Puck. Fairy king, attend and mark; Obe. Then, my queen, in silence sad, Tita. Come, my lord; and in our flight, [Exeunt. [Horns sound within. Obe. Welcome, good Robin. See'st thou this My love shall hear the music of my hounds.— sweet sight? Her dotage now I do begin to pity. • Fist. Uncouple in the western valley; go:- Of hounds and echo in conjunction. Hip. I was with Hercules, and Cadmus, once, |