A FAIRY TALE IN TWO ACTS BY GEORGE COLMAN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES FAIRY TALE. IN TWO ACTS. Taken from SHAKESPEARE. As it is Performed at the THEATRE-ROYAL In DRURT-LANE. LONDON: Printed for J. and R. T o N s o x, MDCCLXIII. [ Price Sixpence. ] DRAMATIS PERSONS. MEN. Quince, a Carpenter, Bottom, the Weaver, Snug, the Joiner, Flute y the Bellows-mender, Snout, the Tinker, Starveling, the Taylor, Mr. Love. Mr. Baddely. Mr. Clough. Mr. Caftie. Mr. Ackman, Mr. Parfons. FAIRIES. Oberon, King of the Fairies, Titanic, Queen of the Fairies, Puck, Firfi Fairy, Second Fairy, Mifs Rogers. Mfs Ford. Mafter Cape. Mifs Wright. Mafter Ra worth. Qtber Fairies attending the King and Queen. SCENE, Athens, and a mod not far from it. QlttWKftKpGlIC^ fl ? FAIRY TALE. V I ACT I. SCENE I. \ SCENE** Room in Qmnce'j Hoitfe. Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snowt, and Starveling. k Q^u i N c E. IS all our company here ? Bot. You were be/t to call them generally, man by man, according to the fcrip. Quin. Here is the fcrowl of every man's name, which is thought fit through all Athens to play in our interlude before the Duke and Dutchefs, on his wedding day at night. Bot. Firft, good Peter Quince, fay what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors ; and fo grow on to a point. . Marry, our play is the mod lamentable A 2 comedy, 4 ^FAIRYTALE. comedy, and mofl cruel death of Pyramus and I rufby. Bet. A very good piece of work, I allure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your afters by the fcrowj. Matters, fpread your- felves. y guin. Anfwer as I call you. Nick Bottom the weaver ! Bot. Ready: Name what part I am for, and pro- ceed. Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are fee down for Pv- ramus. ] Bot. What is Pyramus, a lover, or a tyrant ? Qtfft, A lover that kills himfelf moft gallantly for love. Bet. That will afk fome tears in the true perform- ing of it: If 1 do it let the audience look to their eyes; I will move itorms ; I will condole in fome meafure. To the reft; yet, my chief humour is for a tyrant; I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in. To make all fplit the raging rocks and fhivering mocks fliall break the lorks ' of pnfon-gates, and Phibbus carr mall fliine ' from far, and make and mar the foolifh flues!'' This was lofty. Now name the reft of the players. This is Ercles vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is rnqre condoling. >yin. Francis Flute, the bellows- mender. Flu. Here, Peter Quince. .%/;*. Flute, you muft take Thifby on you Mu. What is Thi/hy, a wand'ring knicrht? ^i; It is the Lady that Pyramus muft love. . , Nay, faith, lee not me play a woman, 1 have a beard coming. &*>. That's all one, you fhall p]ay it in a mafk, and you may ipeak fraal| as you will. EC*. A FAIRY TALE. 5 Bet. An I may hide my face, let me play Thifby too; I'll fpeak in a mondrous little voice ; Thifne, Thifne, ah Pyramus my lover dear, thy Thifby dear, and lady dear. Quin. No, no, you muft play Pyramus; and Flute, you Thifby. Bof, Well, proceed. >uin. Robin Starveling, the Taylor. Star. Here, Peter Quince. Qain. Robin Starveling, you muft play Thifby's mother : Tom Snowt, the tinker. Snowt. Here, Peter Quince. >uin. You, Pyramus's father; myfelf, Thifby's father; Snug the joiner, you the Lion's part; I hope there is a play fitted. Snug. Have you the Lion's part written ? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am flow of ftudy. Qutn. You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring. Bot. Let me play the Lion too, I will roar, that I will do any man's heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the Duke fay, let him roar again, let him roar again! Quin. If you mould do it too terribly, you would fright the Dutchefs and the Ladies, that they would fhrirk, and that were enough to hang us all. All. That would hang us every mother's Ion. BoL I grant you, friends, if you fhould fright the Ladies out of their wirs, they would have no more dilcretion but to hang us; but I will aggravate my voice Ib, that I will roar you as gently as aiSy fucking dove; 1 will roar you an 'twere any night- ingale. ylyin. You can play no part but Pyramus, for Pyramus is a i'vveec fac'd man, a proper aian as one {hall 6 A FAIRY TALE. fhall fee in a fummer's day; a moft Jovely gentle- man-like man: thererefore you muft needs play Pyramus. Bet. Well, I will undertake it. What beard were J bell to play it in? Quin. Why what you will. Bot. I will difcharge it in either your ftraw-colourM beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in- grain beard, or your French-crown-colour'd beard, your perfect yellow. . ^uin. Some of your French-crowns have no hair at all, am) then you will play bare-fac'd. Bur, mafters here are your parts, and I am to intreat you, requeft you, and defire you to con them by to-mor- row night; and meet me in the palace-wood, a mile wirhout the town, by moonlight, there we will rehearfe ; for if we meet in the city, we mall be dog'd with company, and our devices known. In the mean time 1 will draw a bill of properties, fuch as our play wants. I pray you fail me not. Bot. We wiil meet, and there we may rehearfe more obfceely and courageously. Take pains, be perfect, adieu. >uj. At the Duke's oak we meet. Boi. But hold ye, hold ye, neighbours ; are your voices in order, and your tunes ready ? For if we mifs our mufical pitch, we fhall be all 'mam'd and abandon'd. Quin. Ay, ay ! Nothing goes down fo well as a little of your fol, fa, and long quaver; therefore let us be in our airs and for better affurance I have got the pitch pipe. Bo!. Stand round, (land round ! We'll rehearfe our-eplog - Clear up your pipes, and every man in his turn take up his ftanza-verie Are you all rcadv ? All. A FA i R Y T A L E. 7 Ml. Ay, ay! Sound the pitch-pipe, Peter Quince. [Quince blows. Rot. Now make your reverency and begin. SON G for Epilogue; By Quince, Bottom, Snug, Flute, Starveling, Snout. Quin. Moft noble Duke, to us be kind-, Be you and all your courtiers blind, That you may not our errors Jind, But fmile upon our fport. For we arefimple aft 'or -s all, Sowe fat, feme lean, Jome fbort, feme tall; Our pride is great, our merit f mall; Will that, pray, do ar court? II. Starv. would the Duks and Dutcbefs fmile y 'The court would do the fame awhile, But call us after, low and vile, And that way make their jport: Nay, would you ftill more paftime make t And at pocr we your purfes /hake, Whatever you, give, we'll gladly take, For that will do at court. Bot. Well faid, my boys, my hearts! Sing but jike nightingales thus when you come to your mif- reprefentation, and we are made for ever, you rogues! fo! (leal a way now to your homes without inlpection; meet me at the Duke's oak > by moon light mum's the word. All. Mum ! [Exeunt aUjlealing cut. S C E N E, A FAIRY TALE. SCENE, a Wood. Enter a Fairy at one Door, WPuck, or Robin-good- felJow, at another. P*f*.JjOWnow, Spirit! whither wander you? i ft Fai. Over hill, over dale, Through bufh, through b.rier, Over park, over pale, Through flood, through fire, I do wander every where, Swifter than the moon's fphere; And I ferve the Fairy Queen, To dew her orbs upon the green : I muft go feek fome dew-drops here, hang a pearl in every cowflip's ear. A I R. Kingcup, daffodil and rofe, Shall the fairy wreath compofe. Beauty, fweetnefs, and delight, Crown our revels of the night : Lightly trip it o'er the green Where the Fairy ring isfeen ; So nojlep of earthly tread, Shall offend our Ladfs head. Virtue fome times droops her wing, Beauties bee, may lofe her Jling ; Fairy land can both combine, Rofes with the eglantine: Lightly be your meafures feen, Deftly footed o'er the green; Nor afpettre's baleful head Peep at our notlurnal tread. Farcwcl A FAIRY TALE. 9 Farevvel thou lob of fpirits, I'll be gone; Our Queen and all her Elves come here anon. Puck.The King doth keep his revels here to-night, Take heed the Queen come not within his fight; For they do fquare, that all their Elves for tear Creep into acorn-cups, and hide them there. i ft Fat. But why is Oberon fo fell and wrath ? Puck. Becaufe that fhe, as her attendant hath A lovely boy ftol'n from an Indian King; And fhe perforce with-holds the changling, Tho* jealous Oberon wou'd have the child Knight of his train, to trace the forefts wild. jit Fai. Or I miftakeyourfhape and making quite, Or elfe you are that fhrewd and knavifh Sprits Call'd Robin-good-fellow. Puck. Thou fpeak'ft aright; I am that merry wand'rer of the night : I jeft to Oberon, and make him fmile, Oft lurk in goffip's bowl, and her beguile In very likenefs of a roafted crab; And when me drinks, againft her lips I bob, And on her wither'd dewlap pour the ale; The \vifeft aunt telling the faddeit tale, Sometime for three-foot {tool miftaketh me ; Then flip I from her bum, down topples fhe, And rails or cries, and falls into a cough, And then the whole choir hold their hips and loffe. A I R. i ft Fai. Tes, yes, I know you, you are be . That frighten all the villagree; Skim milk, and labour in the quern, And booilefs make the bufwife churn', Or make the drink, to bear no barm, Laughing at their lofs and barm, B But 10 A FAIRY TALE. But call you Robin, and fweet Puck, Tou do their work, and bring good luck. Tes, you are that unlucky Sprite ! Like Will-a-whifp\ a wandring light, Through ditch, thro' bog, who lead ajlray Benighted fwains, who lofe their way ; Tou pinch the flat tern black and blue, 2'oujiher drop in hufwife'sfooe ; For call you Robin and fweet Puck, Tou do their work, and bring good luck. Puck. But make room, Fairy, here comes Oberon. i ft Fat. And here my miftrefs : Would that he were gone ! Enter Oberon King of Fairies at one door, with his train, and the Queen at another with hers. Cb. Ill met by moon-light, proud Titania! Queen. What, jealous Oberon? Fairy, fkip hence, I have forfworn his bed and Company. Ob. Tarry, rafh wanton ' Am not I thy Lord ? ^.wj.Then Imuftbe thy Lady: Why artthou here? Come frjm die fartheft fteep of India ? But dur, forfootbj the bouncing Amazon, Your bufkin'd miftrefs, and your warrior love, To Thefeus muft be wedded , and you come To give their bed joy and profperity. . How canft thou thus, for mame, Titania, Glance at my credit with Hippolita, Knowing I know thy love to Thefeus ? Didil thou not lead him through the glimmering night From Ptrigune, whom he raviilied, And make him, \\ith fair Egle, break his faith With Ariadne and Amiopa-? AFAIRvTALE. II Queen. Thefe are the forgeries of jealoufy : And never fince that middle fummer's fpring Met we on hill, in dale, foreft, or mead, To dance our ringlets to the whittling wind, But with thy brawls thou haft difturb'd our fporr. The fpring, the fummer, The chiding autumn, angry winter, change Their wonted liveries ; and the amazed world By their increafe now knows not which is which j And this fame progeny of evil comes From our debate, from our difTention, We are their parents and original. Ob. Do you amend it then, it lies in you. Why mould Titania crofs her Oberon ? I do but beg a little changling boy To be my henchman. Queen. Set your heart at reft, The Fairy-land buys not the child of me. His mother was a votrefsof my order, 'And in the fpiced Indian air by night Full often (he hath goffipt by my fide ; And fat with me on Neptune's yellow fands, Marking th' embarked traders of the flood, When we have laught to lee the fails conceive, And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind ; Whkhfhe, with pretty and with fwimming gait, Would imitate, and Jail upon the land, To fetch me trifles, and return again As from a voyage rich with merchandize ; But me being mortal of that boy did die, And for her iake I do rear up her boy, And for her fake I will not part with him. Ob. How long within this wood intend you flay ? Queen. Perchance till after Thefeus' wedding-day. Jf you will patiently dance in our round, And fee our moon-light revels, go with us j B 2 If A F A I R Y T A L E. not, fhun me, and I will fpare your haunts. Ob. Give me that boy, and I'll go with thee. Queen. Not for thy Fairy kingdom. 1 4 C\ F A 1 K 1 1 If not, mun me, and I will fpare your haunts. Ob. Give me that boy, and I'll go v ^airy kingdom. AIR. DUET. Queen. Away, away, I will not ft ay, But fly from rage and tbee. King. Begone, begone, Tou'll feel anon What 'tis to injure me. Queen. Away, falfe man! Do all you can> If corn your jealous rage ! King. We will not part ; 'Take you my heart ! Give me your favourite page. Queen. I'll keep my page ! King. And I my rage ! Norjhallyou injure me. Queen. Away, away! I will net ft ay, Bui fly from rage and tbee. Both. Am?y,away,&. [Exe.j9^#,&c. Ob. Well, go thy way; thou (halt not from this grove, Till I torment thee for this injury My gentle Puck, come hither : There is a flow'r, the herb I fhew'd thee once, The juice of it on fieeping eyelids laid, Will make a man or woman madly doat Upon the next live creature that it fees. Fetch me that herb, and be thou here again Ere the leviathan can fwim a league. Puck t I'll put a girdle round about the earth In A FAIRY TALE. 13 In forty minutes. [Exit. Ob. Having once this juice, I'll watch Titania when (he is afleep, And drop the liquor of it in her eyes : The next thing which fhe waking looks upon, (Be it on bear, lion, wolf, bull, ape or monkey), She (hall purfue it with the foul of love : And ere I take this charm offfrom her fight, (As I can take it with another herb), I'll make her render up her page to me. [Exit. SCENE another part of the Wood. Enter Queen of the Fairies, and her Train. Queen. Come, now a roundel, and a fairy fong. A I R. 2d Fai. Come, follow, follow me, Te fairy Elves that be\ O'er tops tf^ny graft, So nimbly do we pafs, The young and tender jlalk Ne'er bends where we do walk. SCENE The Wood. Queen. Now, for the third part of a minute hence, Some to kill cankers in the mufk-rofe buds, Some war with rear-mice for their leathern wings, To make my fmall Elves coats : And fome keep back The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots, and wonders, At oar queint fpirus. Sing me now afleep, Then to your offices, and let me reft. [Goes to tbf JSoiyer and lies down. AIR, A F A I R V T A L E. A I R. i ft. Fai. Ycufpotled fnakts with double tongue * Ikoriy hedge-hogs, bemtfeen, Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong* Come not near our fairy >ueen. Philomel with melody r , Sing in yourfweet lullaby, Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, Ma, lullaby: Never barm, nor f pell, nor charm, Come our lovely Lady nigh, So good night with lullaby. II. Weaving fpiders come not here ; Hence, you long-leg* d fanners, hence ; "Beetles black approach not near, Worm nor/nail do no offence* Philomel with melody, &c. Hence away ! now all is well ; One aloof Jland centinel. [Exeunt Fairies. Enter Oberon and Firft Fairy. [Oberonfqueefes the Juice of the Flower OK the Queer?* Eyes. Ob. What thou feeft when thou doft wake, Do it for thy true love take ; Love and languish for his fake ; Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, Pard, or boar with brillled hair, In A F A I R Y T A L E. 15 In thy eye what fhall appear, When thou wak'ft, it is thy dear ; Wake when fome vile thing is near. [Exit Ob. AIR. i ft Fai. Such the force of Magic Pow^r, Of t be juice of this fmall flower > It Jh all jaundice Jo her fight ', Fouljhall be fair ', and black feem white \ Tbenjball dreams, and all tb:ir train , Fill 'with Fantafies her brain ; Tben^ no more her darling joy , She'll refegn her changeling boy. [Exeunt. End of the Fir/1 Aft. ACT l6 E. ACT II. SCENE Continues. fLnter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout and .Starveling. The Queen of Fairies lying ajleep. Set. \ RE we all met ? j{~\. Quin. Pat, pat! and here's a marvellous convenient place for our rehearfal. This green plot fhall be our ftage, this hawthorn brake our tyring houfe, and we will do it in action, as we will do it before the Duke. Bet. Peter Quince. Quin. What fay 'ft thou, Bully Bottom ? Bet. There are things in this Comedy of Pyramus and Thifby, that will never pleafe. Firft, Pyramus muftdraw afword to kill himfelf, which the Ladies cannot abide. How anfwer you that ? Snout. By'rlaken, a parlous fear ! Sfarv. I believe we muft leave the killing out, when all is done. Bot. Not a whit ; I have a device to make all well ; write me a prologue, and let the prologue feem to fay, we will do no harm with our fwords, and that Pyramus is not kili'd indeed ; and for more better affbrance tell them, that I Pyramus am not Pyra- mus, but Bottom the weaver : this will put them out ot fear. A F A I R Y T A L E. 17 Qyin. Well, we will have fuch a prologue, and it fhall be written in eight and fix. Bot. No, make it two more ; let it be written in tight and eight. Snout. Will not theLadifs be afraid of the Lion? Starv. I fear ir, I promiie you. Bot. Mailers, you ought to confider with your- felves ; to bring in, heaven fhield us! a Lion among Ladies, is a moll dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful wildfowl than your Lion, living j and we ought to look to it. Snout. Therefore another prologue muft tell he is not a Lion. Bot. Nay, you muft name his name, and half his face muft be feen through the lion's neck ; and he himfelf muft fpeak through, laying thus, or to the fame defect : Ladies, or fair Ladies, I would wifli you, or I would requeft you, or I would intreat you, not to fear, not to tremble ; my life for yours; if you think I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life; no, I am no fuch thing ; I am a man as other men are ; and there indeed let him name his name, and tell them plainly, He is Snug the Joiner. Quin. Well, it (hail be fo , but there is two hard things, that is, to bring the moon- light into a cham- ber ; tor you know l-yr.unus and Thifby met by moon-light. Snu*. Doth the moon fhine that night we play our play ? Bot. A kalendar, a kalendar ! look into the alma- nack; find out moon-fhine, find out moon-fliine. g>uin. Ye?, it doth (hint that night. Bof. Why then may you leave a cafement of the great chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon may fhine in at the calcmcnt. C &tin. Qiin. Ay, or elfe one muft come in with a bufh ot throns and a lanthern; and fay he conies to dif- figure or to prefent the perlbn of moon-mine. Then there is another thing ; we muft have a wall in the great chamber, for Pyramus and Thjfby (fays the Itory) did talk through the chink of a wall. Snug. You can never bring in a wall. What fay you, Bouom ? Bet. Some man or other muft prefent wall -, and let him have feme plafter, or fome loome, or fome rough-call, about him, to fignify wall : Or let him hold his ringers thus, and through the cranny ihali Pyramus and Thifby whifper. uin. It that may be, then all is well. Come, fit down every mother's fon, and rehear le your parts. Pyramus, you begin , and when you have fpoken your fpeech, enter into that brake, and fo every one according to his cue. Enter Puck. Puck. What hempen homefpuns have we fwag- genng here, fo near the cradle of the Fairy Queen? What, a play tovv'rd ; I'll be an auditor j An ac"tor too, perhaps, if I fee caufe. uin. Speak, Pyramus. Thifby, ftand forth. Pyr. Thifby, the flower of odious favours fweet. >tin. Odours, odours. l j yr. Odours favours fweet; So doth thy breath, my deareft Thifby dear : But hark, a voice ! Stay thou but here a while, And by -and -by I will to thec appear. Puck. A ftranger Pyramus than e'er play'd here ! Now for a ftorm to drive thefe patches hence. [_He tvaves bis wand.\ Thunder and Lightning. ***. A FAIRY TALE. 19 Quin. Omonftrcus! Oftrange' We are haunted: Pray m afters, fly ma tiers, help ! [Exeunt Clowns. Puck. I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, Thro' bog, thro* bulb, thro' brake, thro' briar j Sometimes a horle I'll be, fometimes a hound, A hog, a hcddlei's bear, fometimes a fire, And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, Like node, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. [Exit* Enter Bottom. Bot. Why do they let a little thunder frighten them away ? But I will not ftir from this placr, do what they can : I will walk up and down here, and I will ling, that they fliall hear I am not afraid. [Sings. A I R . 'Tie oufel-cock, fo black of bite, Wi'.h orange- tawny /'//, Ihe tbrojile, with bis notefo true,