A Midsummer Night’s Dream

by: William Shakespeare

Act 2 Scene 1

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter a FAIRY at one side and ROBIN (ROBIN GOODFELLOW) at another	A FAIRY and ROBIN GOODFELLOW (a “puck” or mischievous spirit) meet onstage.
ROBIN How now, spirit? Whither wander you?	ROBIN Hello, spirit! Where are you going?
FAIRY Over hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier, Over park, over pale, Thorough flood, thorough fire. I do wander everywhere Swifter than the moon’s sphere. And I serve the fairy queen To dew her orbs upon the green. The cowslips tall her pensioners be. In their gold coats spots you see. Those be rubies, fairy favors. In those freckles live their savors. I must go seek some dewdrops here And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear. Farewell, thou lob of spirits. I’ll be gone. Our queen and all our elves come here anon.	FAIRY I go over hills and valleys, through bushes and thorns, over parks and fenced-in spaces, through water and fire. I wander everywhere faster than the moon revolves around the Earth. I work for Titania, the Fairy Queen, and organize fairy dances for her in the grass. The cowslip flowers are her bodyguards. You’ll see that their petals have spots on them—those are rubies, fairy gifts. Their sweet smells come from those little freckles. Now I have to go find some dewdrops and hang a pearl earring on every cowslip flower. Goodbye, you dumb old spirit. I’ve got to go. The queen and her elves will be here soon.
ROBIN The king doth keep his revels here tonight. 5Take heed the queen come not within his sight. For Oberon is passing fell and wrath Because that she, as her attendant hath A lovely boy stolen from an Indian king. She never had so sweet a changeling. 10And jealous Oberon would have the child Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild. But she perforce withholds the lovèd boy, Crowns him with flowers, and makes him all her joy.	ROBIN The king’s having a party here tonight. Just make sure the queen doesn’t come anywhere near him, because King Oberon is extremely angry. He’s furious because she stole an adorable boy from an Indian king. She’s never kidnapped such a darling human child before, and Oberon’s jealous. He wants the child for himself, to accompany him on his wanderings through the wild forests. But the queen refuses to hand the boy over to Oberon. Instead, she puts flowers in the boy’s hair and makes a fuss over him.

Read the Summary of Act II, scene i

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