OBE. 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.
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.

[Exit.

390

400

Re-enter LYSANDER

Lys. Where art thou, proud Demetrius ? speak thou

now.

PUCK. Here, villain; drawn and ready. Where art

Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?

389 the morning's love] Doubtless a reference to Cephalus, the huntsman, to whom the goddess of the morning, Aurora, made love. Cf. Ov., Met., VII, 700 seq.

393 Turns streams] Cf. Sonnet xxxiii, 4: “Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy."

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 defiled

That draws a sword on thee.

DEM.

Yea, art thou there?

Puck. Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here.

Re-enter LYSANDER

[Exeunt.

410

Lys. 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 follow'd fast, but faster he did fly;
That fallen am I in dark uneven way,
And here will rest me. [Lies down.]

day!

Come, thou gentle

For if but once thou show me thy grey light,
I'll find Demetrius, and revenge this spite.

Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS

PUCK. Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why comest thou not?
DEM. Abide me, if thou darest; for well I wot

Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place,
And darest not stand, nor look me in the face.
Where art thou now?

PUCK.

Come hither: I am here.

DEM. Nay, then, thou mock'st me.

this dear,

If ever I thy face by daylight see:

Thou shalt buy

Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me
To measure out my length on this cold bed.

By day's approach look to be visited.

Re-enter HELENA

430

[Lies down and sleeps.

HEL. 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.

[Lies down and 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.

Re-enter HERMIA

HER. Never so weary, never so in woe;

Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briers;

I can no further crawl, no further go;

desires.

My legs can keep no pace with my Here will I rest me till the break of day. Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray! [Lies down and sleeps.

440

To your eye,

Gentle lover, remedy.

[Squeezing the juice on Lysander's eye.

When thou wakest

Thou takest

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.

450

460

[Exit.

ACT FOURTH-SCENE 1-THE SAME

LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, AND HERMIA,
LYING ASLEEP

Enter TITANIA and BOTTOM; PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD-
SEED, and other Fairies attending;
OBERON behind unseen

TITANIA

COв. Ready.

COME, SIT THEE DOWN

upon this flowery 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.

BOT. Where's Peaseblossom?
PEAS. Ready.

BOT. Scratch my head, Peaseblossom.

Cobweb?

Where's Mounsieur

BOT. Mounsieur Cobweb, good mounsieur, get you 10 your weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped 2 amiable cheeks do coy] caress thy lovely cheeks.