No Fear Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Act 4, Scene 1, Page 2
Original Text |
Modern Text |
|
|
BOTTOM
Give me your neaf, Monsieur Mustardseed. Pray you,
leave your courtesy, good monsieur.
|
BOTTOM
Give me your first, Mr. Mustardseed. Please, stop bowing, good
sir.
|
|
|
MUSTARDSEED
What’s your will?
|
MUSTARDSEED
What would you like me to do?
|
|
|
15 |
BOTTOM
Nothing, good monsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb to scratch. I
must to the barber’s, monsieur, for methinks I am
marvelous hairy about the face. And I am such a tender ass, if my
hair do but tickle me, I must scratch.
|
BOTTOM
Nothing, good sir, except to help Sir Cobweb scratch my head. I
should go to the barber’s, monsieur, because I think
I’m getting really hairy around the face. And
I’m such a sensitive ass that if my hair even tickles me
a little, I need to scratch.
|
|
TITANIA
What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love?
|
TITANIA
Would you like to hear some music, my sweet love?
|
|
|
BOTTOM
I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let’s have the
tongs and the bones.
|
BOTTOM
I have a pretty good ear for music. Let’s hear someone
play the triangle and the sticks.
|
|
|
TITANIA
Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat.
|
TITANIA
Or tell me, my sweet love, what you’d like to
eat.
|
|
|
BOTTOM
Truly, a peck of provender. I could munch your good dry oats.
Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay. Good hay, sweet
hay, hath no fellow.
|
BOTTOM
Actually, I’d like a few pounds of grass.
I’d like to munch on some good dry oats. Or maybe
I’ve got a hankering for a bundle of hay.
There’s nothing like good hay, really sweet hay.
|
|
|
20 |
TITANIA
I have a venturous fairy that shall seek
The squirrel’s hoard and fetch thee new nuts.
|
TITANIA
I have an adventurous fairy who’ll go seek out the
squirrel’s secret stash and get you some fresh
nuts.
|
|
BOTTOM
I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas. But, I pray you,
let none of your people stir me. I have an exposition of sleep come
upon me.
|
BOTTOM
I’d rather have a handful or two of dried peas. But
please don’t let any of your people wake me up. I really
want to sleep now.
|
|
|
|
TITANIA
Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.
Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away.
|
TITANIA
Go to sleep, and I will wrap my arms around you. Fairies, go away.
Run off in all directions.
|
Exeunt FAIRIES
|
The FAIRIES
exit. |






