Page 2669 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, [20]
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun’s report,
Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly;
And at our stamp, here o’er and o’er one falls; [25]
He murder cries, and help from Athens calls.
Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong,
Made senseless things begin to do them wrong:
For briars and thorns at their apparel snatch;
Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all things catch. [30]
I led them on in this distracted fear,
And left sweet Pyramus translated there;
When in that moment, so it came to pass,
Titania wak’d, and straightway lov’d an ass.

OBERON

This falls out better than I could devise. [35]
But hast thou yet latch’d the Athenian’s eyes
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

PUCK

I took him sleeping - that is finish’d too-
And the Athenian woman by his side,
That when he wak’d, of force she must be ey’d. [40]

Enter Demetrius and Hermia.

OBERON

Stand close: this is the same Athenian.

PUCK

This is the woman, but not this the man.

(They stand apart.)

DEMET RIUS

O why rebuke you him that loves you so?
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

HERMIA