Enter Snout.
SNOUT
O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee?
BOTTOM.
What do you see? You see an ass-head of your own, do you?
[Exit Snout.]
Enter Quince.
QUINCE.
Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! Thou art translated.
[Exit.]
BOTTOM.
I see their knavery. This is to make an ass of me, to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can. I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid.
[Sings.]
The ousel cock, so black of hue,
With orange-tawny bill,
The throstle with his note so true,
The wren with little quill.
TITANIA.
[Waking.] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
BOTTOM.
[Sings.]
The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The plain-song cuckoo gray,
Whose note full many a man doth mark,
And dares not answer nay.
for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Who would give a bird the lie, though he cry ‘cuckoo’ never so?