10

Puck. My mistress with a monster is in love.
Near to her close and consecrated bower,
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,
Were met together to rehearse a play
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.
The shallowest thickskin of that barren sort,
Who Pyramus presented in their sport,
Forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake.
When I did him at this advantage take,
An ass's nole I fixed on his head.
Anon his Thisby must be answered,
And forth my mimic comes. When they him

spy,

15

Which she must dote on in extremity.

Here comes my messenger.

40

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,

Enter Puck.

45

How now, mad spirit?

For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse.

May through the centre creep and so displease Her brother's noontide with the Antipodes. 55 It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him; So should a murderer look, so dread, so grim. Dem. So should the murderer look, and so should I,

Pierc'd through the heart with your stern cruelty;

Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere. 61 Her. What's this to my Lysander? Where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? Dem. I'd rather give his carcass to my hounds. Her. Out, dog! out, cur! thou driv'st me past the bounds

65

Puck. Captain of our fairy band,
Helena is here at hand,
And the youth, mistook by me,
Pleading for a lover's fee.

87

Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be! Obe. Stand aside. The noise they make Will cause Demetrius to awake. Puck. Then will two at once woo one; That must needs be sport alone. And those things do best please me That befall preposterously.

Exit.

[They stand aside.] Enter Lysander and Helena.

105

130

Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow When thou hold'st up thy hand. O, let me kiss

146

155

This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss! Hel. O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent To set against me for your merriment. If you were civil and knew courtesy, You would not do me thus much injury. Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join in souls to mock me too? 150 If you were men, as men you are in show, You would not use a gentle lady so;To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, When I am sure you hate me with your hearts. You both are rivals, and love Hermia; And now both rivals, to mock Helena. A trim exploit, a manly enterprise, To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes With your derision! None of noble sort Would so offend a virgin, and extort A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. Lys. You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so; For you love Hermia; this you know I know. And here, with all good will, with all my heart, In Hermia's love I yield you up my part; And yours of Helena to me bequeath, Whom I do love and will do till my death.

160

165

know,

Lys. Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,

Fair Helena, who more engilds the night Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light. Why seek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know,

189 The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? Her. You speak not as you think. It cannot be. Hel. Lo, she is one of this confederacy;

Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three To fashion this false sport, in spite of me. Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid! 195 Have you conspir'd, have you with these contriv'd

To bait me with this foul derision?

Is all the counsel that we two have shar'd, The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,

When we have chid the hasty-footed time
For parting us,-O, is all forgot?

200

All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?

We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,

Have with our needles created both one flower, Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, Both warbling of one song, both in one key,

Thou shalt aby it.

310

I told him of your stealth unto this wood. He followed you; for love I followed him; But he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too. And now, so you will let me quiet go, To Athens will I bear my folly back And follow you no further. Let me go. You see how simple and how fond I am. Her. Why, get you gone; who is't that hinders you?

Hel. A foolish heart that I leave here behind. Her. What, with Lysander?

315

320

Lys. Be not afraid; she shall not harm thee, Helena.

Dem. No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part.

Hel. O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd!

She was a vixen when she went to school; And though she be but little, she is fierce. 325

330

335

Now she holds me not. Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right, Of thine or mine, is most in Helena. Dem. Follow! Nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowl.

Exeunt Lysander and Demetrius. Her. You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you. Nay, go not back. Hel. I will not trust you, I, 340 Nor longer stay in your curst company. Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray; My legs are longer though, to run away.

[Exit.]

Her. I am amaz'd, and know not what to say.

Oberon and Puck [step forth].

[Exit.]

Obe. This is thy negligence. Still thou mistak'st,

345

Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully. Puck. Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. Did not you tell me I should know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on?

And so far blameless proves my enterprise, 350
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes;
And so far am I glad it so did sort,

As this their jangling I esteem a sport. Obe. Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight;

Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night; 355
The starry welkin cover thou anon
With drooping fog as black as Acheron,
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; 361
And sometime rail thou like Demetrius;
And from each other look thou lead them thus,
Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting
sleep