Page 2649 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

The fairy land buys not the child of me.
His mother was a votress of my order;
And in the spiced Indian air, by night,
Full often hath she gossip’d by my side; [125]
And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands,
Marking th’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 [130]
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; [135]
And for her sake do I rear up her boy;
And for her sake I will not part with him.

OBERON

How long within this wood intend you stay?

T IT ANIA

Perchance till after Theseus’ wedding-day.
If you will patiently dance in our round, [140]
And see our moonlight revels, go with us;
If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.

OBERON

Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.

T IT ANIA

Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!
We shall chide downright if I longer stay. [145]

Exeunt Titania and her Train.

OBERON

Well, go thy way; thou shalt not from this grove
Till I torment thee for this injury.
My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememb’rest
Since once I sat upon a promontory,
And heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back [150]