And when the two brothers see her in their cave, one cries—
But that it eats our victuals, I should think
Here were a fairy.
And thinking her to be dead, Guiderius declares—
If he be gone, he'll make his grave a bed;
With female fairies will his tomb be haunted,
And worms will not come to thee.
The Maydes Metamorphosis of Lylie was acted in 1600, the year the oldest edition we possess of the Midsummer Night's Dream was printed. In Act II. of this piece, Mopso, Joculo, and Frisio are on the stage, and "Enter the Fairies singing and dancing."
By the moon we sport and play,
With the night begins our day;
As we dance the dew doth fall—
Trip it, little urchins all,
Lightly as the little bee,
Two by two, and three by three;
And about go we, and about go we.
Jo. What mawmets are these?
Fris. O they be the faieries that haunt these woods.
Mop. O we shall be pinched most cruelly!
1st Fai. Will you have any music, sir?
2d Fai. Will you have any fine music?
3d Fai. Most dainty music?
Mop. We must set a face on it now; there is no flying.
No, sir, we very much thank you.
1st Fai. O but you shall, sir.
Fris. No, I pray you, save your labour.
2d Fai. O, sir! it shall not cost you a penny.
Jo. Where be your fiddles?
3d Fai. You shall have most dainty instruments, sir?
Mop. I pray you, what might I call you?
1st Fai. My name is Penny.
Mop. I am sorry I cannot purse you.
Fris. I pray you, sir, what might I call you?
2d Fai. My name is Cricket.
Fris. I would I were a chimney for your sake.
Jo. I pray you, you pretty little fellow, what's your name?
3d Fai. My name is little little Prick.
Jo. Little little Prick? O you are a dangerous faierie!
I care not whose hand I were in, so I were out of yours.
1st Fai. I do come about the coppes.
Leaping upon flowers' toppes;
Then I get upon a fly,
She carries me about the sky,
And trip and go.
2d Fai. When a dew-drop falleth down,
And doth light upon my crown.
Then I shake my head and skip,
And about I trip.
3d Fai. When I feel a girl asleep,
Underneath her frock I peep,
There to sport, and there I play,
Then I bite her like a flea,
And about I skip.
Jo. I thought where I should have you.
1st Fai. Will't please you dance, sir?
Jo. Indeed, sir, I cannot handle my legs.
2d Fai. O you must needs dance and sing,
Which if you refuse to do,
We will pinch you black and blue;
And about we go.
They all dance in a ring, and sing as followeth:—