A Fairy Tale in Two Acts Taken from Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
SCENE The Wood and Bower.
Enter Queen of Fairies, Bottom; Fairies attending and the King behind them. Queen. Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed. Say wilt thou hear some music sweet dove. Bot. I have a reasonable good ear in music. DUET. By 1st and 2d Fairy. Welcome, welcome to this place, Favorite of the Fairy Queen; Zephyrs, play around his face, Wash, ye dews, his graceful mien. Pluck the wings from butterflies, To fan the moon-beams from his eyes; Round him in eternal spring Grashoppers and crickets sing. By the spangled starlight sheen, Nature's joy he walks the green; Sweet voice, fine shape, and graceful mien, Speak him thine, O Fairy Queen! Queen. Or say, sweet love, what thou desir'st to eat. I have a ventrous Fairy that shall seek The squirrels hoard, and fetch thee new nuts. Bot. I pray you, let none of your people stir me; I have an exposition of sleep come upon me. Queen. Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms; Fairies begone, and be always away. So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle Gently entwist. O how I love thee! how I doat on thee! [They sleep. Enter Puck, at one door, Oberon and 1st Fairy at another. Ob. Welcome, good Robin! See'st thou this sweet sight? Her dotage now I do begin to pity: For meeting her of late behind the wood, I then did ask of her her changeling child, Which strait she gave me; wherefore I'll undo This hateful imperfection of her eyes: [He strokes her eyes with the flower. Now, Fairy, sing the charm.
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