Re-enter SNOUT. Snout. O Bottom, thou art changed! what do I see on thee? Bot. What do you see? you see an ass's head of your own; Do you? 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. The ousel-cock, so black of hue, [Sings. Tita. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? [Waking. Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, Whose note full many a man doth mark, for, 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; 5 The cuckoo with his uniform note. 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 neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek 6 upon occasion. Tita. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. Bot. Not so, neither: but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine 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, And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep: Where shall we go? Tita. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman; Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes; And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs, And pluck the wings from painted butterflies, 2 Fai. Hail! 5 Fai. Hail! 4 Fai. Hail! Bot. I cry your worships mercy, heartily.—I beseech, your worship's name? Cob. Cobweb. Bot. I shall desire you of more acquaintance,good master Cobweb: If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you.-Your name, honest gentleman? Peas. Peas-blossom. 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, The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye; And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, Lamenting some enforced chastity. Tie up my love's tongue, bring him silently. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Another part of the Wood. Enter OBERON. Obe. I wonder, if Titania be awak'd; 8 - How now, mad What night-rule now about this haunted grove? And forth my mimick3 comes: When they him spy, As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, Rising and cawing at the gun's report, Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky; • Revelry. 9 Simple fellows. 2 Head. 3 Actor. 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, Obe. This falls out better than I could devise. But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do? Puck. I took him sleeping, that is finish'd too, And the Athenian woman by his side; That, when he walk'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: For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse. The sun was not so true unto the day, 4 Infected. |