Уильям Шекспир - Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare стр 3.

When Hermia woke she found Lysander gone, and wandered about the wood trying to find him. Puck went back and told Oberon what he had done, and Oberon soon found that he had made a mistake, and set about looking for Demetrius, and having found him, put some of the juice on his eyes. And the first thing Demetrius saw when he woke was also Helena. So now Demetrius and Lysander were both following her through the wood, and it was Hermias turn to follow her lover as Helena had done before. The end of it was that Helena and Hermia began to quarrel, and Demetrius and Lysander went off to fight. Oberon was very sorry to see his kind scheme to help these lovers turn out so badly. So he said to Puck-

These two young men are going to fight. You must overhang the night with drooping fog, and lead them so astray, that one will never find the other. When they are tired out, they will fall asleep. Then drop this other herb on Lysanders eyes. That will give him his old sight and his old love. Then each man will have the lady who loves him, and they will all think that this has been only a Midsummer Nights Dream. Then when this is done, all will be well with them.

So Puck went and did as he was told, and when the two had fallen asleep without meeting each other, Puck poured the juice on Lysanders eyes, and said: -

Meanwhile Oberon found Titania asleep on a bank where grew wild thyme, oxlips, and violets, and woodbine, musk-roses and eglantine. There Titania always slept a part of the night, wrapped in the enameled skin of a snake. Oberon stooped over her and laid the juice on her eyes, saying: -

Now, it happened that when Titania woke the first thing she saw was a stupid clown, one of a party of players who had come out into the wood to rehearse their play. This clown had met with Puck, who had clapped an asss head on his shoulders so that it looked as if it grew there. Directly Titania woke and saw this dreadful monster, she said, What angel is this? Are you as wise as you are beautiful?

If I am wise enough to find my way out of this wood, thats enough for me, said the foolish clown.

Do not desire to go out of the wood, said Titania. The spell of the love-juice was on her, and to her the clown seemed the most beautiful and delightful creature on all the earth. I love you, she went on. Come with me, and I will give you fairies to attend on you.

So she called four fairies, whose names were Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed.

You must attend this gentleman, said the Queen. Feed him with apricots and dewberries, purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries. Steal honey-bags for him from the bumble-bees, and with the wings of painted butterflies fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes.

I will, said one of the fairies, and all the others said, I will.

Now, sit down with me, said the Queen to the clown, and let me stroke your dear cheeks, and stick musk-roses in your smooth, sleek head, and kiss your fair large ears, my gentle joy.

Wheres Peaseblossom? asked the clown with the asss head. He did not care much about the Queens affection, but he was very proud of having fairies to wait on him. Ready, said Peaseblossom.

Scratch my head, Peaseblossom, said the clown. Wheres Cobweb? Ready, said Cobweb.

Kill me, said the clown, the red bumble-bee on the top of the thistle yonder, and bring me the honey-bag. Wheres Mustardseed?

Ready, said Mustardseed.

Oh, I want nothing, said the clown. Only just help Cobweb to scratch. I must go to the barbers, for methinks I am marvelous hairy about the face.

Would you like anything to eat? said the fairy Queen.

I should like some good dry oats, said the clown-for his donkeys head made him desire donkeys food-and some hay to follow.

Shall some of my fairies fetch you new nuts from the squirrels house? asked the Queen.

Id rather have a handful or two of good dried peas, said the clown. But please dont let any of your people disturb me; I am going to sleep.

Then said the Queen, And I will wind thee in my arms.

And so when Oberon came along he found his beautiful Queen lavishing kisses and endearments on a clown with a donkeys head.

And before he released her from the enchantment, he persuaded her to give him the little Indian boy he so much desired to have. Then he took pity on her, and threw some juice of the disenchanting flower on her pretty eyes; and then in a moment she saw plainly the donkey-headed clown she had been loving, and knew how foolish she had been.

Oberon took off the asss head from the clown, and left him to finish his sleep with his own silly head lying on the thyme and violets.

Thus all was made plain and straight again. Oberon and Titania loved each other more than ever. Demetrius thought of no one but Helena, and Helena had never had any thought of anyone but Demetrius.

As for Hermia and Lysander, they were as loving a couple as you could meet in a days march, even through a fairy wood.

So the four mortal lovers went back to Athens and were married; and the fairy King and Queen live happily together in that very wood at this very day.

THE TEMPEST

Prospero, the Duke of Milan, was a learned and studious man, who lived among his books, leaving the management of his dukedom to his brother Antonio, in whom indeed he had complete trust. But that trust was ill-rewarded, for Antonio wanted to wear the dukes crown himself, and, to gain his ends, would have killed his brother but for the love the people bore him. However, with the help of Prosperos great enemy, Alonso, King of Naples, he managed to get into his hands the dukedom with all its honor, power, and riches. For they took Prospero to sea, and when they were far away from land, forced him into a little boat with no tackle, mast, or sail. In their cruelty and hatred they put his little daughter, Miranda (not yet three years old), into the boat with him, and sailed away, leaving them to their fate.

But one among the courtiers with Antonio was true to his rightful master, Prospero. To save the duke from his enemies was impossible, but much could be done to remind him of a subjects love. So this worthy lord, whose name was Gonzalo, secretly placed in the boat some fresh water, provisions, and clothes, and what Prospero valued most of all, some of his precious books.

The boat was cast on an island, and Prospero and his little one landed in safety. Now this island was enchanted, and for years had lain under the spell of a fell witch, Sycorax, who had imprisoned in the trunks of trees all the good spirits she found there. She died shortly before Prospero was cast on those shores, but the spirits, of whom Ariel was the chief, still remained in their prisons.

Prospero was a great magician, for he had devoted himself almost entirely to the study of magic during the years in which he allowed his brother to manage the affairs of Milan. By his art he set free the imprisoned spirits, yet kept them obedient to his will, and they were more truly his subjects than his people in Milan had been. For he treated them kindly as long as they did his bidding, and he exercised his power over them wisely and well. One creature alone he found it necessary to treat with harshness: this was Caliban, the son of the wicked old witch, a hideous, deformed monster, horrible to look on, and vicious and brutal in all his habits.