What’s your will?
Bot. Nothing, good mounsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber’s, mounsieur; for methinks I am marvail’s 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’s have the tongs and the bones.
[Music. Tongs. Rural music.]
Tita.
Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat.
Bot. Truly, a peck of provender; I could munch your good dry 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 hoard, 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, be gone, and be [all ways] away.
[Exeunt Fairies.]
So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle
Gently entwist; the female ivy so
Enrings the barky fingers of the elm.
O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee!
[They sleep.]
Enter Robin Goodfellow [Puck].
Obe. [Advancing.]
Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou this sweet sight?
Her dotage now I do begin to pity.
For meeting her of late behind the wood,
Seeking sweet favors for this hateful fool,
I did upbraid her, and fall out with her.
For she his hairy temples then had rounded
With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers;
And that same dew which sometime on the buds
Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls,
Stood now within the pretty flouriets’ eyes,
Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail.
When I had at my pleasure taunted her,
And she in mild terms begg’d my patience,
I then did ask of her her changeling child;
Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent
To bear him to my bower in fairy land.
And now I have the boy, I will undo
This hateful imperfection of her eyes.
And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp
From off the head of this Athenian swain,
That he, awaking when the other do,
May all to Athens back again repair,
And think no more of this night’s accidents
But as the fierce vexation of a dream.
But first I will release the Fairy Queen.
[Touching her eyes.]
Be as thou wast wont to be;
See as thou wast wont to see.
Dian’s bud [o’er] Cupid’s flower
Hath such force and blessed power.
Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen.
Tita.
My Oberon, what visions have I seen!
Methought I was enamor’d of an ass.
Obe.
There lies your love.
Tita.
How came these things to pass?
O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!
Obe.
Silence a while. Robin, take off this head.
Titania, music call, and strike more dead
Than common sleep of all these [five] the sense.
Tita.
Music, ho, music, such as charmeth sleep!
[Music, still.]
Puck.
Now, when thou wak’st, with thine own fool’s eyes peep.
Obe.
Sound, music!
[Louder music.]
Come, my queen, take hands with me,
And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be.
Now thou and I are new in amity,
And will to-morrow midnight solemnly
Dance in Duke Theseus’ house triumphantly,
And bless it to all fair prosperity.
There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be
Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.
Puck.
Fairy King, attend and mark;
