O then, I see, Queen Mab hath been with you. She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate stone On the forefinger of an alderman; Drawn with a team of little atomies Athwart men’s noses as they lie asleep: Her wagon spokes made of long spinners’ legs; The cover, of the wings of grasshoppers; The traces, of the smallest spider’s web; The collars, of the moonshine’s watery beams; Her whip, of cricket’s bone, the lash, of film; Her wagoner, a small grey-coated gnat, Not half so big as a round little worm, Pricked from the lazy finger of a maid: Her chariot is an empty hazel nut, Made by the joiner squirrel, or old grub, Time out of mind the fairies’ coachmakers. And in this state she gallops night by night, Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love; On courtiers’ knees that dream on court’sies straight; O’er lawyers’ fingers, who straight dream on fees; O’er ladies’ lips, who straight on kisses dream. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. LULLABY FOR TITANIA. FIRST FAIRY. You spotted snakes with double tongue, Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen; Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong; Come not near our fairy queen. CHORUS. Philomel with melody Sing in our sweet lullaby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby! Never harm, nor spell, nor charm, Come our lovely lady nigh! So good night, with lullaby. SECOND FAIRY. Weaving spiders, come not here; Hence, you long-legg’d spinners, hence; Beetles black, approach not near; Worm, nor snail, do no offence. CHORUS. Philomel with melody Sing in our sweet lullaby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby! Never harm, nor spell, nor charm, Come our lovely lady nigh! So good night, with lullaby. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. THE FAIRY QUEEN SLEEPING. She lay upon a bank, the favourite haunt Of the spring wind in its first sunshine hour, For the luxuriant strawberry blossoms spread Like a snow-shower there, and violets Bow’d down their purple vases of perfume About her pillow,—link’d in a gay band Floated fantastic shapes, these were her guards, Her lithe and rainbow elves. ...