Original Text
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Modern Text
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And we fairies, that do run
By the triple Hecate’s team
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic. Not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallowed house.
I am sent with broom before
To sweep the dust behind the door.
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And we
fairies, who run away from the sun just like the goddess of the
night, following darkness like a dream, are getting antsy. But
I’m here to make sure that not even a mouse disturbs this blessed house. I’ve been sent to
clean house a bit before the fairies come.
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Enter OBERON and
TITANIA, King and Queen of Fairies, with all their train
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OBERON and TITANIA
enter with their servants and followers.
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OBERON
Through the house give glimmering light,
By the dead and drowsy fire.
Every elf and fairy sprite
Hop as light as bird from brier.
355And this ditty, after me,
Sing and dance it trippingly.
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OBERON
Let the dying fire shine a glimmering light throughout the house.
I want every elf and fairy to hop lightly, like a bird on a twig,
and to sing and dance this song along with me.
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TITANIA
First, rehearse your song by rote,
To each word a warbling note.
Hand in hand with fairy grace
360Will we sing and bless this place.
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TITANIA
First rehearse your song from memory, and make sure each note is
pretty. We’ll all join hands and sing, and bless this
place with our fairy grace.
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OBERON, TITANIA,
and the FAIRIES sing and dance
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OBERON and TITANIA
lead the FAIRIES in song and
dance.
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OBERON
(sings)
Now until the break of
day,
Through this house each fairy
stray.
To the best bride bed will
we,
Which by us shall
blessèd be.
And the issue there
create
Ever shall be
fortunate.
So shall all the couples
three
Ever true in loving be.
And the blots of
Nature’s hand
Shall not in their issue
stand.
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OBERON
(singing)
Now, until morning, each fairy should walk
through this house. Titania and I will go to the royal marriage
bed to bless it, and the children conceived in that bed will
always have good luck. Each of the three couples will always be
faithful and in love, and their children will have no
deformities.
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