Reading Help A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
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 eyeballs 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, `
` For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast; `
` And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger, `
` At whose approach ghosts, wand'ring here and there, `
` Troop home to churchyards. Damned spirits all `
` That in cross-ways and floods have burial, `
` Already to their wormy beds are gone, `
` For fear lest day should look their shames upon; `
` They wilfully themselves exil'd from light, `
` And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night. `
` OBERON. But we are spirits of another sort: `
` I with the Morning's love have oft made sport; `
` And, like a forester, the groves may tread `
` Even till the eastern gate, all fiery red, `
` Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams, `
` Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams. `
` But, notwithstanding, haste, make no delay; `
` We may effect this business yet ere day. Exit OBERON `
` PUCK. Up and down, up and down, `
` I will lead them up and down. `
` I am fear'd in field and town. `
` Goblin, lead them up and down. `
` Here comes one. `
` `
` Enter LYSANDER `
` `
` LYSANDER. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? Speak thou now. `
` PUCK. Here, villain, drawn and ready. Where art thou? `
` LYSANDER. I will be with thee straight. `
` PUCK. Follow me, then, `
` To plainer ground. Exit LYSANDER as following the voice `
` `
` Enter DEMETRIUS `
` `
` 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, `
` Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars, `
` And wilt not come? Come, recreant, come, thou child; `
` I'll whip thee with a rod. He is defil'd `
` That draws a sword on thee. `
` DEMETRIUS. Yea, art thou there? `
` PUCK. Follow my voice; we'll try no manhood here. Exeunt `
` `
` Re-enter LYSANDER `
` `
` LYSANDER. He goes before me, and still dares me on; `
` When I come where he calls, then he is gone. `
` The villain is much lighter heel'd than I. `
` I followed fast, but faster he did fly, `
` That fallen am I in dark uneven way, `
` And here will rest me. [Lies down] Come, thou gentle day. `
` For if but once thou show me thy grey light, `
` I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this spite. [Sleeps] `
` `
` Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS `
` `
` PUCK. Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why com'st thou not? `
` DEMETRIUS. Abide me, if thou dar'st; for well I wot `
` Thou run'st before me, shifting every place, `
` And dar'st not stand, nor look me in the face. `
` Where art thou now? `
` PUCK. Come hither; I am here. `
` DEMETRIUS. Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this `
` dear, `
` If ever I thy face by daylight see; `
` Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me `
` To measure out my length on this cold bed. `
` By day's approach look to be visited. `
` [Lies down and sleeps] `
` `
` Enter HELENA `
` `
` HELENA. O weary night, O long and tedious night, `
` Abate thy hours! Shine comforts from the east, `
` That I may back to Athens by daylight, `
` From these that my poor company detest. `
` And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye, `
` Steal me awhile from mine own company. [Sleeps] `
` PUCK. Yet but three? Come one more; `
` Two of both kinds makes up four. `
` Here she comes, curst and sad. `
` Cupid is a knavish lad, `
` Thus to make poor females mad. `
` `
` Enter HERMIA `
` `
` HERMIA. Never so weary, never so in woe, `
` Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briers, `
` I can no further crawl, no further go; `
` My legs can keep no pace with my desires. `
` Here will I rest me till the break of day. `
` Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray! `
` [Lies down and sleeps] `
` PUCK. On the ground `
` Sleep sound; `
` I'll apply `
` To your eye, `
` Gentle lover, remedy. `
` [Squeezing the juice on LYSANDER'S eyes] `
` When thou wak'st, `
` Thou tak'st `
` True delight `
` In the sight `
` Of thy former lady's eye; `
` And the country proverb known, `
` That every man should take his own, `
` In your waking shall be shown: `
` Jack shall have Jill; `
` Nought shall go ill; `
` The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well. `
` Exit `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` <<THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM `
` SHAKESPEARE IS COPYRIGHT 1990-1993 BY WORLD LIBRARY, INC., AND IS `
` PROVIDED BY PROJECT GUTENBERG ETEXT OF CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY `
` WITH PERMISSION. ELECTRONIC AND MACHINE READABLE COPIES MAY BE `
` DISTRIBUTED SO LONG AS SUCH COPIES (1) ARE FOR YOUR OR OTHERS `
` PERSONAL USE ONLY, AND (2) ARE NOT DISTRIBUTED OR USED `
` COMMERCIALLY. PROHIBITED COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION INCLUDES BY ANY `
` SERVICE THAT CHARGES FOR DOWNLOAD TIME OR FOR MEMBERSHIP.>> `
` `
` `
` `
` ACT IV. SCENE I. `
` The wood. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA, lying asleep `
` `
` Enter TITANIA and Bottom; PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, `
` MUSTARDSEED, `
` and other FAIRIES attending; `
` OBERON behind, unseen `
` `
` TITANIA. 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. `
` BOTTOM. Where's Peaseblossom? `
` PEASEBLOSSOM. Ready. `
` BOTTOM. Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. `
` Where's Mounsieur Cobweb? `
` COBWEB. Ready. `
` BOTTOM. Mounsieur Cobweb; good mounsieur, get you your weapons `
` in `
` your hand and kill me a red-hipp'd humble-bee on the top of a `
` thistle; and, good mounsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not `
` fret `
` yourself too much in the action, mounsieur; and, good `
` mounsieur, `
` have a care the honey-bag break not; I would be loath to have `
` you `
` overflown with a honey-bag, signior. Where's Mounsieur `
` Mustardseed? `
` MUSTARDSEED. Ready. `
` BOTTOM. Give me your neaf, Mounsieur Mustardseed. Pray you, `
` leave `
` your curtsy, good mounsieur. `
` MUSTARDSEED. What's your will? `
` BOTTOM. Nothing, good mounsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb to `
` scratch. I must to the barber's, mounsieur; 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. `
` TITANIA. What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love? `
` BOTTOM. I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let's have the `
` tongs `
` and the bones. `
` TITANIA. Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat. `
` BOTTOM. 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. `
` TITANIA. I have a venturous fairy that shall seek `
` The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts. `
` BOTTOM. 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. `
`
` 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 eyeballs 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, `
` For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast; `
` And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger, `
` At whose approach ghosts, wand'ring here and there, `
` Troop home to churchyards. Damned spirits all `
` That in cross-ways and floods have burial, `
` Already to their wormy beds are gone, `
` For fear lest day should look their shames upon; `
` They wilfully themselves exil'd from light, `
` And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night. `
` OBERON. But we are spirits of another sort: `
` I with the Morning's love have oft made sport; `
` And, like a forester, the groves may tread `
` Even till the eastern gate, all fiery red, `
` Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams, `
` Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams. `
` But, notwithstanding, haste, make no delay; `
` We may effect this business yet ere day. Exit OBERON `
` PUCK. Up and down, up and down, `
` I will lead them up and down. `
` I am fear'd in field and town. `
` Goblin, lead them up and down. `
` Here comes one. `
` `
` Enter LYSANDER `
` `
` LYSANDER. Where art thou, proud Demetrius? Speak thou now. `
` PUCK. Here, villain, drawn and ready. Where art thou? `
` LYSANDER. I will be with thee straight. `
` PUCK. Follow me, then, `
` To plainer ground. Exit LYSANDER as following the voice `
` `
` Enter DEMETRIUS `
` `
` 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, `
` Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars, `
` And wilt not come? Come, recreant, come, thou child; `
` I'll whip thee with a rod. He is defil'd `
` That draws a sword on thee. `
` DEMETRIUS. Yea, art thou there? `
` PUCK. Follow my voice; we'll try no manhood here. Exeunt `
` `
` Re-enter LYSANDER `
` `
` LYSANDER. He goes before me, and still dares me on; `
` When I come where he calls, then he is gone. `
` The villain is much lighter heel'd than I. `
` I followed fast, but faster he did fly, `
` That fallen am I in dark uneven way, `
` And here will rest me. [Lies down] Come, thou gentle day. `
` For if but once thou show me thy grey light, `
` I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this spite. [Sleeps] `
` `
` Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS `
` `
` PUCK. Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why com'st thou not? `
` DEMETRIUS. Abide me, if thou dar'st; for well I wot `
` Thou run'st before me, shifting every place, `
` And dar'st not stand, nor look me in the face. `
` Where art thou now? `
` PUCK. Come hither; I am here. `
` DEMETRIUS. Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this `
` dear, `
` If ever I thy face by daylight see; `
` Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me `
` To measure out my length on this cold bed. `
` By day's approach look to be visited. `
` [Lies down and sleeps] `
` `
` Enter HELENA `
` `
` HELENA. O weary night, O long and tedious night, `
` Abate thy hours! Shine comforts from the east, `
` That I may back to Athens by daylight, `
` From these that my poor company detest. `
` And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye, `
` Steal me awhile from mine own company. [Sleeps] `
` PUCK. Yet but three? Come one more; `
` Two of both kinds makes up four. `
` Here she comes, curst and sad. `
` Cupid is a knavish lad, `
` Thus to make poor females mad. `
` `
` Enter HERMIA `
` `
` HERMIA. Never so weary, never so in woe, `
` Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briers, `
` I can no further crawl, no further go; `
` My legs can keep no pace with my desires. `
` Here will I rest me till the break of day. `
` Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray! `
` [Lies down and sleeps] `
` PUCK. On the ground `
` Sleep sound; `
` I'll apply `
` To your eye, `
` Gentle lover, remedy. `
` [Squeezing the juice on LYSANDER'S eyes] `
` When thou wak'st, `
` Thou tak'st `
` True delight `
` In the sight `
` Of thy former lady's eye; `
` And the country proverb known, `
` That every man should take his own, `
` In your waking shall be shown: `
` Jack shall have Jill; `
` Nought shall go ill; `
` The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well. `
` Exit `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` <<THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM `
` SHAKESPEARE IS COPYRIGHT 1990-1993 BY WORLD LIBRARY, INC., AND IS `
` PROVIDED BY PROJECT GUTENBERG ETEXT OF CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY `
` WITH PERMISSION. ELECTRONIC AND MACHINE READABLE COPIES MAY BE `
` DISTRIBUTED SO LONG AS SUCH COPIES (1) ARE FOR YOUR OR OTHERS `
` PERSONAL USE ONLY, AND (2) ARE NOT DISTRIBUTED OR USED `
` COMMERCIALLY. PROHIBITED COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION INCLUDES BY ANY `
` SERVICE THAT CHARGES FOR DOWNLOAD TIME OR FOR MEMBERSHIP.>> `
` `
` `
` `
` ACT IV. SCENE I. `
` The wood. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA, lying asleep `
` `
` Enter TITANIA and Bottom; PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, `
` MUSTARDSEED, `
` and other FAIRIES attending; `
` OBERON behind, unseen `
` `
` TITANIA. 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. `
` BOTTOM. Where's Peaseblossom? `
` PEASEBLOSSOM. Ready. `
` BOTTOM. Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. `
` Where's Mounsieur Cobweb? `
` COBWEB. Ready. `
` BOTTOM. Mounsieur Cobweb; good mounsieur, get you your weapons `
` in `
` your hand and kill me a red-hipp'd humble-bee on the top of a `
` thistle; and, good mounsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not `
` fret `
` yourself too much in the action, mounsieur; and, good `
` mounsieur, `
` have a care the honey-bag break not; I would be loath to have `
` you `
` overflown with a honey-bag, signior. Where's Mounsieur `
` Mustardseed? `
` MUSTARDSEED. Ready. `
` BOTTOM. Give me your neaf, Mounsieur Mustardseed. Pray you, `
` leave `
` your curtsy, good mounsieur. `
` MUSTARDSEED. What's your will? `
` BOTTOM. Nothing, good mounsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb to `
` scratch. I must to the barber's, mounsieur; 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. `
` TITANIA. What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love? `
` BOTTOM. I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let's have the `
` tongs `
` and the bones. `
` TITANIA. Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat. `
` BOTTOM. 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. `
` TITANIA. I have a venturous fairy that shall seek `
` The squirrel's hoard, and fetch thee new nuts. `
` BOTTOM. 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. `
`