SCENE II ACT II

TITANIA, the Fairy Queen, enters with her following of FAIRIES.

TITANIA
Come, dance in a circle and sing a fairy song.
Peaseblossom (singing)
Snakes with forked tongues,
And porcupines, don’t be seen.
Deadly lizards, don’t be mean.
Don’t come near our fairy queen.
Cobweb (singing)
Spiders with your webs, stay away.
You long-legged things, begone!
Black beetles, don’t come near.
Worms and snails, don’t be bad.
(Titania falls asleep)
Moth
Okay, let’s go! Everything’s fine now.
(The fairies leave)
(Oberon enters)
Oberon
(he squeezes flower juice on TITANIA ’s eyelids)
Whatever you see first when you wake up, think of it as your true love. Love
him and yearn for him, even if he’s a lynx, a cat, a bear, a leopard, or a wild
boar. Whatever’s there when you wake up will be dear to you. Wake up when
something nasty is nearby. (Oberon exits)
(Lysander and Hermia enter)
Lysander
To tell you the truth, I’ve gotten us lost.
Hermia
If that’s so Lysander, find yourself a bed.
Lysander
We can both sleep together on the grass.
Hermia
No, Lysander. Please, for my sake, sleep a little farther away. Don’t sleep so
close to me.
Lysander
Please let me lie with you.
Hermia
Please, darling, sleep a little farther away so we can behave properly.
Lysander
I’ll sleep over here then. Sleep well!
(They sleep, then Puck enters looking around mischievously. Then he spots
Lysander)
Puck
Wait a second, who’s this? He’s wearing Athenian clothes. This must be who
my master talked about.
(Puck bends over Lysander and puts the love potion on his eyelids)
Puck
Jerk, I throw all the power of this magic charm on your eyes.
(Puck laughs to himself and leaves. Demetrius comes running in, Helena
chasing him)
Helena
Stop, Demetrius! Stop, even if only to kill me.
Demetrius
I’m telling you, get out of here, and don’t follow me around like this.
(Demetrius runs off in the opposite direction and Helena stops to catch her
breath)
Helena
Oh, I’m out of breath from this foolish chase.
Lysander (Waking up and seeing Helena)
I’d run through fire if you asked me to. (He takes her hand). Where is
Demetrius? Oh, I’d kill that name with my sword if I had to!
Helena
Don’t say that, Lysander. Don’t say that. Why do you care that he loves
Hermia? What does it matter? Hermia still loves you, so be happy.
Lysander
Happy with Hermia? No. I regret all the boring time I wasted with her. I don’t
love Hermia; I love Helena. Who wouldn’t love a dove more than a crow?
Helena
Why does everyone always make fun of me? What have I done to deserve this
kind of treatment from you? Oh, how awful that a lady who’s been rejected by
one man should therefore be treated horribly by another one!
(Helena exits)
Lysander
I’ll use all my talents and efforts to serve Helen and bring her honor.
(Lysander leaves)
Hermia (waking up)
Lysander! Where have you gone? Speak to me. I’ll die if I cannot find you my
love.