A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Act 4 Scene 1

Original Text	Modern Text
LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA sleep. Enter TITANIA, Queen of the Fairies; and BOTTOM, with the ass’s head; and fairies PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARDSEED; OBERON the king behind them, unseen	DEMETRIUS, HELENA, HERMIA, and LYSANDER are still sleeping on the stage. TITANIA enters with BOTTOM, who still has a donkey’s head, and the fairies PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED. OBERON enters behind them, unseen by those onstage.
TITANIA (to BOTTOM) 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.	TITANIA (to BOTTOM) Come over here and sit down on this flowery bed while I caress those lovable cheeks. I’ll put roses on your silky, smooth head and kiss your big, beautiful ears, my gentle darling.
BOTTOM 5Where’s Peaseblossom?	BOTTOM Where’s Peaseblossom?
PEASEBLOSSOM Ready.	PEASEBLOSSOM Here.
BOTTOM Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Monsieur Cobweb?	BOTTOM Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Monsieur Cobweb?
COBWEB Ready.	COBWEB Here.
BOTTOM Monsieur Cobweb, good monsieur, get you your weapons in your hand and kill me a red-hipped humble-bee on the top of a thistle. And, good monsieur, bring me the honey bag. Do not fret yourself too much in the action, monsieur. And good monsieur, have a care the honey bag break not. I would be loath to have you overflown with a honey bag, signor.	BOTTOM Monsieur Cobweb, sir, get out your weapons and kill me a striped bumblebee on a thistle, and bring me its honey. Don’t tire yourself out, monsieur. Oh, and monsieur, be careful not to break the honey-sac. I’d hate to see you drowned in honey, sir.
Exit COBWEB	COBWEB exits.
10Where’s Monsieur Mustardseed?	Where’s Monsieur Mustardseed?
MUSTARDSEED Ready.	MUSTARDSEED Here.