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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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BOTTOM
5Where’s Peaseblossom?
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BOTTOM Where’s Peaseblossom?
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PEASEBLOSSOM Ready.
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PEASEBLOSSOM Here.
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BOTTOM Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Monsieur
Cobweb?
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BOTTOM Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Monsieur
Cobweb?
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COBWEB Ready.
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COBWEB Here.
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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.
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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.
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Exit COBWEB
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COBWEB exits.
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10Where’s Monsieur Mustardseed?
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Where’s Monsieur Mustardseed?
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MUSTARDSEED Ready.
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MUSTARDSEED Here.
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