A Midsummer Night's Dream Page #3

Take pains, be perfect.

Adieu.

How, now, Spirit!

Whither wander you?

Over hill, over dale

Through bush, through brier

Over park, over pale

Through flood, through fire

I do wander everywhere

Swifter than the moon's sphere

And I serve the Queen of Fairies

Are not you he that frights

the maidens of the village?

Thou speakest aright.

I am that merry wanderer of the night.

I jest to Oberon and make him smile

when I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile...

...neighing in a likeness of a filly foal.

The king doth keep

his revels here tonight.

Take heed the queen,

come not within his sight.

For Oberon is passing fell and wrath

because that she as her attendant hath

a lovely boy

stolen from an Indian king.

She never had so sweet a changeling.

But jealous Oberon

would have the child

knight of his train

to trace the forest wild.

But she, perforce,

withholds the loved boy

crowns him with flowers

and makes him all her joy.

How, now, here comes Oberon!

llI met by moonlight, proud Titania.

What, jealous Oberon.

Fairies, skip hence.

I have forsworn his bed and company.

Tarry, rash wanton.

Do you amend it then?

It lies in you.

Why should Titania cross her Oberon?

I do but beg a little changeling boy

to be my henchman.

Set your heart at rest.

The fairy land buys not the child of me.

His mother was a votaress of my order.

And for her sake, do I rear up her boy,

and for her sake, I will not part with him.

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,

and I will spare your haunts.

Give me that boy,

and I will go with thee.

Not for thy fairy kingdom.

Fairies, away.

My gentle Puck, come hither.

Fetch me that flower,

the herb I shew'd thee once.

Before milk white,

now purple with love's wound,

and maidens call it love in idleness.

The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid

will make or man or woman

madly dote

upon the next live creature that it sees.

Fetch me this herb.

And be thou here again

ere the leviathan can swim a league.

I'll put a girdle round about the Earth

in 40 minutes!

Fair love, you faint with wandering

in the wood.

And...

to speak truth...

I have forgot our way.

I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit

So that but one heart

We can make of it

Two bosoms

Interchained with an oath

So then two bosoms

And a single troth

You told me they were stolen

into this wood.

And here am I,

like wood within this wood,

because I cannot meet my Hermia.

I will overhear their conference.

I love you not, therefore pursue me not.

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