Enter PUCK behind.

Puck. What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here

So near the cradle of the fairy queen ?

What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor;
An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.

Quince. Speak, Pyramus.-Thisby, stand forth.
Pyr. Thisby, the flowers of odious

savors

So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisby dear.— But, hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile, And by and by I will to thee appear.' [Exit. Puck. A stranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here! [aside.-Exit.

This. Must I speak now?

Quince. Ay, marry, must you: for you must understand, he goes but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again.

This. Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of

hue,

Of color like the red rose on triumphant brier: Most brisky juvenal,1 and eke most lovely Jew;

As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.'

Quince. Ninus' tomb, man. Why you must not

the preceding speech, which serve as a hint to him who is to speak next.

▲ Young man.

speak that yet; that you answer to Pyramus. You speak all your part at once, cues and all.-Pyramus, enter; your cue is past; it is, 'never tire.'

Re-enter PUCK, and вOTTOм with an ass's head.

This. O,-'As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire.'

Pyr. If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine.'

Quince. O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray, masters! fly, masters! help!

[Exeunt Clowns. Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a

round,

Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier;

Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire;

And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and

burn,

Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

[Exit.

Bot. Why do they run away? this is a knavery of them, to make me afeard.

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.

Quince. 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. [sings.

The ousel-cock,1 so black of hue,

With orange-tawny bill,

The throstle 2 with his note so true,

The wren with little quill.

Tit. What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?

Bot. The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,

The plain-song cuckoo3 gray.

Whose note full many a man doth mark,

And dares not answer, nay ;

[waking.

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?

Tit. I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again;

Mine ear is much enamor'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.
Bot. Methinks, mistress, you should have ittle

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 neighbors will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek 1 upon occasion. Tit. 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.

Tit. 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 I do love thee: therefore, go with me;

I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee;

And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep, And sing, while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep : And I will purge thy mortal grossness so,

That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.—

Peas-blossom! Cobweb! Moth! and Mustard-seed!

Tit. Be kind and courteous to this gentleman;

Hop in his walks, and gambol in his eyes;

Joke.

Feed him with apricocks and dewberries.1
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries:
The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees,
And, for night tapers, crop their waxen thighs,
And light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes,
To have my love to bed, and to arise:

And pluck the wings from painted butterflies,
To fan the moon-beams from his sleeping eyes:
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.

1 Fai. Hail, mortal!

2 Fai. Hail!

3 Fai. Hail!

4 Fai. Hail!

Bot. I cry your worship's 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.

2

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

1 Gooseberries.

2 A squash is an immature peascod.