A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania. What, jealous Oberon? Fairies, skip hence. I have forsworn his bed and company.
Tarry, rash wanton. Am not I thy lord? Then I must be thy lady. Why art thou here, but that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon, your buskin’d mistress and your warrior love, to Theseus must be wedded, and you come to give their bed joy and prosperity?
How canst thou thus for shame, Titania, glance at my credit with Hippolyta, knowing I know thy love to Theseus? These are the forgeries of jealousy.
How long within this wood intend you stay? Perchance till after Theseus’ wedding-day. If you will patiently dance in our round and see our moonlight revels, go with us. If not, shun me. Fairies, away. We shall chide downright, if I longer stay.
Act 2, Scene 2 Come, now a roundel and a fairy song.
The ousel cock so black of hue, with orange-tawny bill, the throstle with his note so true, the wren with little quill,– What angel wakes me from my flow’ry bed?
The finch, the sparrow and the lark, the plain-song cuckoo gray, whose note full many a man doth mark and dares not answer nay– I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again. Mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note, so is mine eye enthralled to thy shape, and thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me on the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
The more the pity that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
Not so, neither, but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. Out of this wood do not desire to go, thou shalt remain here whether thou wilt or no. I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee. Peaseblossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustardseed!
Where shall we go? Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes; feed him with apricots and dewberries, with purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; And pluck the wings from Painted butterflies to fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes. Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.
Moth. Come, wait upon him. Lead him to my bower. Tie up my love’s tongue. Bring him silently.
Act 4, Scene 1 Come, sit thee down upon this flow’ry bed, while I thy amiable cheeks do coy, and stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head, and kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.
And I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch. What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love?
I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let’s have the tongs and the bones. Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat.
Good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow. I have a venturous fairy that shall seek the squirrel’s hoard and fetch thee new nuts.
I have an exposition of sleep come upon me. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms. Fairies, begone, and be all ways away. O, how I love thee! How I dote on thee!
Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen. My Oberon! What visions have I seen! Methought I was enamour’d of an ass.
There lies your love. How came these things to pass? O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!
Fairy king, atend, and mark. I do hear the morning lark. Come, my lord, and in our flight tell me ho it came this night that I, sleeping here was found with these mortals on the ground.
I am sent with broom before, to sweep the dust behind the door. First, rehearse your song by rote to each word a warbling note: hand in hand, with fairy grace, will we sing, and bless this place.