Here come some more ingredients: the scale of a dragon, a
wolf's tooth, a witch's mummified flesh, the
gullet and stomach of a ravenous shark, a root of hemlock that was
dug up in the dark, a Jew's liver, a goat's bile,
some twigs of yew that were broken off during a lunar eclipse, a
Turk's nose, a Tartar's lips, the finger of a baby
that was strangled as a prostitute gave birth to it in a ditch.
(to the ingredients) Make this
potion thick and gluey. (to the other
WITCHES) Now let's add a
tiger's entrails to the mix.
ALL
35
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
ALL
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
SECOND WITCH
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.
SECOND WITCH
We'll cool the mixture with baboon blood. After that the
charm is finished.
Enter HECATE and the other three
WITCHES
HECATE enters with three other
WITCHES.
HECATE
Oh well done! I commend your pains,
40
And every one shall share i' th' gains.
And now about the cauldron sing,
Like elves and fairies in a ring,
Enchanting all that you put in.
HECATE
Well done! I admire your efforts, and all of you will share the
rewards. Now come sing around the cauldron like a ring of elves and
fairies, enchanting everything you put in.
Music and a song: “Black
spirits,” &c. HECATE retires
Music plays and the six WITCHES sing a
song called “Black Spirits.”
HECATE leaves.
SECOND WITCH
By the pricking of my thumbs,
45
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks,
Whoever knocks.
SECOND WITCH
I can tell that something wicked is coming by the tingling in my
thumbs. Doors, open up for whoever is knocking!
