The fairies :: :: University of Virginia Library

Enter Oberon and train, meeting Puck.
PUCK.
Hail, and welcome, gracious king,
And all the Fairies that you bring;
But wherefore do you thus delay?
The gentle night is prest to pay
The usury of long delights,
She owes to our protracted rites.

OBERON.
My fairy sprights, brief be your sports to night,
Much business we have yet to do ere light.
The queen in slumber wrapt near yonder brake,

At cautious distance watch her till she wake;
Then know, what 'tis that first comes in her eye,
That she must doat on in extremity:
Her new-born flame will all her thoughts employ,
Then I for asking, get her Indian boy.
This done, I will her charmed eye release
From vision gross, and all things shall be peace.
AIR.

But you must not long delay,
Nor be weary yet,
There's no time to cast away,
Or for Fairies to forget
The virtue of their feet;
Knotty legs and plants of clay.
Seek for ease, and love delay;
But with you it still should fare,
As with the air, of which you are.

By the Star's glimmering light,
Aided by the glow-worm's fire,
Every elf and fairy spright,
Hop as light as bird from briar.
Now, now, begin to set
Your spirits in an active heat;
Instruct your nimble feet,
The velvet ground to beat:

To-morrow be it seen
Where we to-night have been.
Sing and dance around this place,
Hand in hand, with Fairy grace.
[Dance.
AIR.

Now until the break of day,
Through this wood each Fairy stray,
And your night-sports celebrate:
Every Fairy take his gait,
Trip away, make no stay,
Meet me all by break of day.

[Exeunt.