A Fairy Tale in Two Acts Taken from Shakespeare

A free download from www.dertz.in

The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Fairy Tale in Two Acts Taken from
Shakespeare (1763), by William Shakespeare, Edited by unknown
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: A Fairy Tale in Two Acts Taken from Shakespeare (1763)
Author: William Shakespeare
Release Date: July 7, 2004 [eBook #12842]
Language: English
Character set encoding: US-ASCII
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A FAIRY
TALE IN TWO ACTS TAKEN FROM SHAKESPEARE
(1763)***
E-text prepared by David Starner, Leah Moser and the Project
Gutenbert Online Distributed Proofreading Team
A FAIRY TALE IN TWO ACTS, TAKEN FROM
SHAKESPEARE.
As it is Performed at the THEATRE-ROYAL In DRURY-LANE,
LONDON
Printed for J. and R. Tonson.
MDCCLXIII.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

MEN.
Quince, a Carpenter, Mr. Love.
Bottom, the Weaver, Mr. Baddely.
Snug, the Joiner, Mr. Clough.
Flute, the Bellows-mender, Mr. Castle.
Snout, the Tinker, Mr. Ackman.
Starveling, the Taylor, Mr. Parsons.
FAIRIES.
Oberon, King of the Fairies, Miss Rogers.
Titania, Queen of the
Fairies, Miss Ford.
Puck, Master Cape.
First Fairy, Miss Wright.
Second Fairy, Master Raworth.
Other Fairies attending the King and Queen.
SCENE, Athens, and a Wood not far from it.
A FAIRY TALE.
ACT I. SCENE I.
SCENE a Room in Quince's House.
Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snowt, and Starveling.
QUINCE.
Is all our company here?
Bot. You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to
the scrip.
Quin. Here is the scrowl of every man's name, which is thought fit
through all Athens to play in our interlude before the Duke and
Dutchess, on his wedding day at night.

Bot. First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on; then read the
names of the actors; and so grow on to a point.
Quin. Marry, our play is the most lamentable comedy, and most cruel
death of Pyramus and Thisby.
Bot. A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. Now, good
Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scrowl. Masters, spread
yourselves.
Quin. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom the weaver!
Bot. Ready: Name what part I am for, and proceed.
Quin. You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
Bot. What is Pyramus, a lover, or a tyrant?
Quin. A lover that kills himself most gallantly for love.
Bot. That will ask some tears in the true performing of it: If I do it let
the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms; I will condole in
some measure. To the rest; yet, my chief humour is for a tyrant; I could
play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in. "To make all split the raging
rocks and shivering shocks shall break the locks of prison-gates, and
Phibbus carr shall shine from far, and make and mar the foolish fates!"
This was lofty. Now name the rest of the players. This is Ercles vein, a
tyrant's vein; a lover is more condoling.
Quin. Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.
Flu. Here, Peter Quince.
Quin. Flute, you must take Thisby on you.
Flu. What is Thisby, a wand'ring knight?
Quin. It is the Lady that Pyramus must love.

Flu. Nay, faith, let not me play a woman, I have a beard coming.
Quin. That's all one, you shall play it in a mask, and you may speak
small as you will.
Bot. An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too; I'll speak in a
monstrous little voice; Thisne, Thisne, ah Pyramus my lover dear, thy
Thisby dear, and lady dear.
Quin. No, no, you must play Pyramus; and Flute, you Thisby.
Bot. Well, proceed.
Quin. Robin Starveling, the Taylor.
Star. Here, Peter Quince.
Quin. Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother:
Tom Snowt,