Fairies sing.
I.
'You spotted snakes with double tongue,
Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen;
Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong;
Come not near our fairy queen.'12
'Philomel, with melody,
Sing in our sweet lullaby;
Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby:
Never harm,16
Nor spell, nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh;
So, good night, with lullaby.'
II.
'Weaving spiders come not here;20
Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence!
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm nor snail, do no offence.
Philomel, with melody, &c.'24
Fai. Hence, away! now all is well.
One aloof stand sentinel.
Enter Oberon [and squeezes the flower on Titania's eyelids].
Obe. What thou seest when thou dost wake,
Do it for thy true-love take;28
Love and languish for his sake:
Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,
Pard, or boar with bristled hair,
13 Philomel: the nightingale
30 ounce: lynx
cat: wildcat
31 Pard: leopard
