A Midsummer Night's Dream

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 favours,

In those freckles live their savours: 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.

Set your heart at rest:

The fairy land buys not the child of me.

His mother was a votaress of my order:

And, in the spiced Indian air, by night,

Full often hath she gossip'd by my side,

And sat with me on Neptune's yellow sands,

Marking the embarked traders on the flood,

When we have laugh'd to see the sails conceive

And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind;

Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait Following,--her womb then rich with my young squire,-- Would imitate, and sail upon the land,

To fetch me trifles, and return again,

As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.

But she, being mortal, of that boy did die;

And for her sake do I rear up her boy,

And for her sake I will not part with him.

If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumber'd here While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend:

if you pardon, we will mend:

And, as I am an honest Puck,

If we have unearned luck

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call;

So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends.