A Midsummer Night's Dream

MUSTARDSEED Mustardseed.

BOTTOM Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience181

well: that same cowardly, giant-like ox-beef hath devoured

many a gentleman of your house. I promise you, your

kindred hath made my eyes water184 ere now. I desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Mustardseed.

TITANIA Come, wait upon him, lead him to my bower.

The moon methinks looks with a wat'ry eye,

And when she weeps188, weeps every little flower, Lamenting some enforced189 chastity.

Tie up my lover's tongue190, bring him silently.

Exeunt

[Act 3 Scene 2]

running scene 5

Enter King of Fairies [Oberon] alone

OBERON I wonder if Titania be awaked;

Then what it was that next came in her eye,

Which she must dote on in extremity3.

Enter [Robin] Puck

Here comes my messenger.-- How now, mad spirit?

What night-rule now about this haunted5 grove?

ROBIN My mistress with a monster is in love.

Near to her close7 and consecrated bower, While she was in her dull8 and sleeping hour, A crew of patches, rude mechanicals9, That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,

Were met together to rehearse a play

Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.

The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort13, Who Pyramus presented in their sport,

Forsook his scene15 and entered in a brake, When I did him at this advantage take:

An ass's noll17 I fixed on his head.

Anon his Thisbe must be answered,

And forth my mimic19 comes. When they him spy, As wild geese that the creeping fowler20 eye, Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort21, Rising and cawing at the gun's report22, Sever themselves and madly sweep23 the sky, So, at his sight, away his fellows fly.

And at our stamp here o'er and o'er one falls;

He 'murder' cries and help from Athens calls.