Narrator: The course of true love
never did run smooth and never did it stumble worse than on one summer's day,
when all Athens was bright with expectancy for the wedding of Duke Theseus and
Hippolyta. But love was not as simple for others in the town. Hermia loved
Lysander. Lysander loved Hermia. And what could have been better than that. At
the same time, Helena loved Demetrius... But Demetrius did not love Helena.
Instead he loved Hermia. What could have been worse than that? Only Hermia's
father. Although there was nothing to choose between the two young men.
Hermia's father had chosen; And he had chosen Demetrius!
Lysander: So quick bright things come
to confusion!
Narrator: And such was the law of
Athens that, If Hermia disobeyed her father she would be shut up in a nunnery
for the rest of her life. The lovers were in despair. But despair leads to
desperation; And desperation to desperate measures... The very next night,
first Hermia then Lysander crept from the town. At midnight they were to meet in
a wood not far from Athens. And from there to fly away together to some distant
place where the cruel law could not touch them. And all might have turned out
well had not Hermoa confide in Helena who was her best friend. For Helena,
hoping for no more than a grateful smile, told Demetrius. Outraged, Demetrius
rushed after the runaways, meaning to win Hermia's heart by plunging his sword
in Lysander's. And after him... stumbled Helena, Still hoping for a kindness to
be flung over his shoulder, like a bone to a starving dog. And so the four
lovers hastened to the wood. But they were not the only ones to leave the town
that night. For the secrecy of the wood. Peter Quince, the carpenter, and
scholar of the company; Nick Bottom, the weaver, a great man and a tower of
strength in any enterprise which not even he would deny. Flute the bellow's
mender, Snug the joiner, Snout the tinker and Starveling the tailor.
Peter Quince: Is all our company here?
Narrator: Six good men of Athens. They
were met in secret to rehearse a play for the wedding of the Duke. The play
they'd chosen was, most fittingly, about love. It was the most lamentable
tragedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe. Nick Bottom of course, was
to play Pyramus; although he could have taken any, or all the other parts with
equal success.
Nick Bottom: Let me play Thibe, too.
Peter Quince: No, no, you must play
Pyramus.
Nick Bottom: Let me play the lion too.
I will roar, RAWRRRR! That I will make the Duke say, "Let him roar
again!" RAWWWWRRRRR!
Narrator: It was a strange wood, huge
and mysterious, and haunted by more than spinning spiders, beetles, hedgehogs
and softly gliding, spotted snakes. Oberon, dread king of the night-time world,
with Puck his wild henchman, and all his goblin train! I'll met by moonlight
proud Titania! Titania, his queen!
Titania: What, jealous Oberon?
Fairies, skip hence! I have forsworn his bed and company!
Oberon: Tarry, rash wanton! Why should
Titania cross her Oberon? I do but beg a little changeling boy to be my
henchman.
Titania: Set your heart at rest: The
fairy land buys not the child of me. His mother was a votress of my order---
Oberon: Give me that boy!
Titanis: Not for thy kingdom! Fairies,
away!
Oberon: Well, go thy way: thou shalt
not from this grove til I torment thee for this injury. My gentle Puck, come
hither... *whispers*
Narrator: Even the seasons were
disturbed, for as among the mortal lovers, there was discord between the spirit
king and queen and so dangerous a quarrel made a sickness in nature.
Oberon: Fetch me this herb...
Puck: I'll put a girdle round about
the earth! In forty minutes!
Narrator: The herb that Puck had gone
to fetch grew far away in the West. It was a certain purple flower, possessed
of strange powers. If the juice of it was dropped on sleeping eyes then the
moment they awoke, the sleeper will fall wildly, madly in love with the very
first living creature their magically anointed eyes beheld. No matter who or
what it was.
*Demetrius and Helena sa kagubatan
kung nasaan naroroon si Oberon*
Demetrius: I love thee not, therefore
pursue me not!
Helena: I am your spaniel; and
Demetrius, the more you beat me, I will fawn on you! Spurn me, strike me,
Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, Unworthy as I am to follow you!
Demetrius: I am sick when I do look on
thee!
Helena: And I am sick when I look not
on you!
Demetrius: Let me go, or, if thou
follow me, do not believe. But I shall do thee mischief in the wood!
Helena: We should be woo'd, and were not
made to woo! *crying*
*Biglang lumabas si Oberon mula sa
pagkakainvisible*
Oberon: Fare thee well, nymph. Ere he
do leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love! *chant* I
know a bank where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips and the nodding violet
grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, with sweet musk-roses and
with eglantine. *dumating si Puck after the chant* There sleeps Titania some
time of the night. Will the juice of this I'll streak her eyes. And make her
full of hatefull fantasies. Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove.
A sweet Athenian lady is in love with a disdainful youth; anoint his eyes: But
do it when the next thing he espies may be the lady. Thou shalt know the man by
the Athenian garments her hath on.
Puck: Fear not, my lord, your servant
shall do so.
*sa lugar ni Titania*
Titania: Come now, a roundel and a
fairy song...
Fairy singing: You spotted snakes with
double tongue, Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen; Newts and blind-worms do no
wrong, Come not near our fairy queen... Weaving spiders come not here; Hence
you long-legged spinners, hence! Beetles black approach not near, worm no
snail, do no offence.
*tulog na mga fairies at pumasok sa
scene si Oberon*
Oberon: What thou seest when thou dost wake,
Do it for thy true love take. Wake when something vile is near!
*Lysander and Hermia pumasok na ulit
sa scene*
Lysander: We'll rest us, Hermia, if
you think it good.
Hermia: Be it so Lysander; find you
out a bed, for I upon this bank will rest my head.
Lysander: One turf shall serve as
pillows for us both.
Hermia: Nay, good Lysander; for my sake,
my dear, lie further off yet. Lie further off, in human modesty; such
separation as may well be said becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid... So far
be distant; and goodnight, sweet friend.
*Pumasok na si Puck sa dalawang
natutulog*
Puck: This is he my master said,
despised the Athenian maid; and here the maiden, sleeping sound, on the dank
and dirty ground. Pretty soul, she durst not lie near this lack-love, this
kill-courtesy! *chanting sa mata ni Lysander* Churl, upon thine eyes I throw
all the power this charm doth owe.
*Pumasok sa scene si Demetrius and
Helena, malapit sa natutulog*
Demetrius: Hence, hence, I charge
thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus! *iniwang mag isa si Helena*
Helena: 'wilt thou darkling leave me?
But who is here Lysander, on the ground? Dead, or asleep? I see no blood, no
wound. Lysander, if you live, good sir, awake! *nagising si Lysander*
Lysander; Not Hermia, but Helena I
love: Who will not change a raven for a dove!
Helena: Good troth, you do me wrong,
Good soothe, you do! Fare you well!
Lysander: Hermia, sleep thou there and
never mayes thou come Lysander near! All my powers, address your love and
might, to honour Helen and to be her knight!
*nagising na si Hermia afterwards*
Hermia: Lysander! Lysander, lord!
Alack, where are you?
*Yung scene ng mga craftsmen*
Narrator: From love in earnest to love
in play: the six good men of Athens.
Nick Bottom: Are we all met?
Peter Quince: Here's a marvellous convenient
place for our rehearsal.
Narrator: So their parts were allotted:
Pyramus, the lover, to Bottom; Thisbe, the lady, to Flute...
Flute: Let me not play a woman. I have
a beard coming.
Narrator: Thsibe the lady, to Flute,
Snug to play the lion, *Rawr* Starveling to represent the moon. And Snout to be
the wall that cruelly separated the lovers, one from another. And Peter Quince,
the scholar, to direct the play.
*Craftsmen were rehearsing*
Narrator: But though they had chosen
the time and place for rehearsing with care, so as to be quite secret, they had
an audience, though they know it not.
Puck: What hempen homespuns have we
swaggering here, so near the craddle of the fairy queen?
Thisbe/Flute: Most radiant Pyramus,
most lily-white of hue! I'll meet the, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb.
Peter Quince: At "Ninus"
tomb, man! Why, you must not speak that yet; that you must answer to Pyramus.
You speak all your part at once, cues and all! Pyramus, enter! Your cue is
past.
*Puck managed to change Bottoms head
into that of an ass.*
Peter Quince: Pyramus, Enter!!
Nick Bottom/Pyramus: If I were fair,
fair Thisbe-
*Lahat ng kasama ay na shock, literal
na shock sa pagbabago ng mukha ni Bottom!*
Peter Quince: O monstrous! O strange!
We are haunted! Pray masters! Fly, masters! Help!
All: Help!!! *they run for their
lives*
Nick Bottom: Why do they run away?
Peter Quince: Bless thee, Bottom,
bless thee! Thou are translated!
Nick Bottom: Iiiiiii see their
knavery: this is to make an ass of me, to fright me, if they could... I will
sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. *singing* The ousel cock, so black
of hue, with orange-tawny bill, the throstle, with his note so true, the wren
with little quill... The throstle, with him note so true-u-ue... The wren with
the little qu-i-ill. *tinutulak siya ni Puck while singing, nakarating siya kng
saan natutulog si Titania*
Titania: *nagising sa pagtulog* What
angel wakes me from my flowery bed? I, gentle mortal, sing again: Mine ear is
much enamoured of thy note. So is mine ey enthralled to thy shape, On the first
view to say, to swear, I love thee.
Nick Bottom: Methinks, mistresss, you
should have little reason for that.
Titania: I am spirit of no common
rate; And I do love thee: therefore go with me. I'll give thee fairies to
attend on thee....
*Puck and Oberon are talking*
Puck: *bumulong kay Oberon at natatawa
siya*
Oberon: This falls out better than i
could devise. But has thou yet latched the Athenian's eyes with the love juice?
Puck: I took him sleeping.
Oberon: *may nakitang parating* Stand
close: this is the same Athenian.
Puck: This is the woman, but not this
the man!
*Across Oberon and Puck*
Hermia: Out, dog! Out, cur! Hast thou
slain him then?
Demetrius: I am not guilty of
Lysander's blood!
Hermia: See me no more, whether he be
dead or no!
Lysander: *sad tone* There is no
following her in this fierce vein...
*camera to Oberon and Puck*
Oberon: What has thou done? Thou hast
mistaken quite, and laid the love-juice on some true love's sight. About the
wood go swifter than the wind, and Helena of Athens look thou find.
Puck: I go, I go, look how I go!
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow! *lumipad palayo si Puck*
*Si Demetrius, natulog nalang sa may
punong kahoy, nagsawa na sa kakasunod kay Hermia*
Oberon: *chanting* Flower in this
purple dye. Hit with Cupid's archery, sink in apple of his eye. When his love
he doth espy.
*biglang dumating si Puck*
Puck: Captain of our fairy band,
Helena is here at hand. Shall we thier fon pageant see?
*pagdaan ni Helena, nagising si
Demterius*
Demetrius: O Helen, goddess, nymph,
perfect, divine!
Helena: O spite! O hell! I see you are
all bent to set against me for your merriment. *parating na si Lysander*
Youboth are rivals, and love Hermia--
Demetrius: Lysander, keep thy Hermia.
If I ere I love her, all that love is gone, and now to Helen is ii home
returned!
Lysander: Helena, it is not so--
Demetrius: Look where thy love comes;
yonder is thy dear!
*sa di kalayuan nakita ni Hermia ang
tatlo na nagtatalo*
Hermia: You juggler! You
canker-blossom! You thief of love!
Helena: Have you no modesty, no maiden
shame?
Hermia: *na shock!* You puppet, you!
Puppet? Thou painted maypole!
Helena: *Paatras kasi susugod na si
Hermia, natatakot*
*sa di kalayuan, nandoon din si Puck
and Oberon, nanunuod*
Puck: Lord, what fools these mortals
be.
Helena: She was a vixen when she went
to school!
Hermia: Let me come to her!
Lysander: *pinipigilan si Hermia* Get
you gone, you dwarf!
Oberon to Puck: This is thy
negligence: still thou mistak'st. Or else commite thy knaveries wilfully.
Puck: Believe me, king of shadows I
mistook.
Oberon: Thou seest these lovers seek a
place to fight. Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night... *Pumunta sa gitna
ng kagubatan si Lysander at Demetrius at doon balak mag laban, sumunod si Puck*
And lead these testy rivals so astray, that one comes not within anothers
way... *Nagkaroon ng makapal na usok sa pagitan ni Lysander at Demterius* Then
crush this herb into Lyander's eye...
Puck: *chanting* When thou wak'st,
thou tak'st true delight in the sight of the former lady's eye; And the country
proverb known, that every man should take his own... *Lumipad na palayo si Puck
and Oberon*
Narrator: But the madness of love
still lingered in another part of the wood.
Titania: Sweet love, what desir'st
thou to eat?
Nick Bottom: Truly, a peck of
provender; I could munch your good dry oats. *Hikab* But I pray you, let none
of your people stir me: I have an exposition of sleep come upon me.
*fairies, laughing*
Nick Bottom: Sleep thou, and I will
wind thee in my arms.
Titania: O how I love thee! How I dote
on thee! *nahiga ang dalawa* *naghihilik si Bottom*
Titania: O how I love thee! How I dote
on thee! *hinawakan ang mga tenga ni Nick Bottom*
Narrator: *biglang dumating sila
Oberon and Puck* Oberon saw his chance to take revenge and with it, pity
followed. *kinuha ni Puck ang bata*
Oberon: Now I have the boy, I will
undo this hateful imperfection of her eyes. *chanting* Be as thou wast wont be;
See as thou wast wont to see. *pinatakan sa mata si Titania*
Titania: *nagising: My Oberon! What
visions have I seen! Methought I was enamoured of an ass!
Oberon: There lies your love!
Titania: *SHOCK of Nick Bottom*
Oberon: Come my queen take hands with
me. *lumipad na sila palayo*
*kinaumagahan, naghahanap na ang mga
taga Athens sa apat na nawawala, at para ikasal na rin*
Narrator: DukeTheseus with his bride,
up early to celebrate their wedding day with a hunt...
Thesues: *Nakita ang apat na
natutulog* But soft, what nymphs are these? Go bid the hunstman wake them with
their horns! *horning*
Narrator: Amongst the party was Egeus,
father of Hermia, his disobediet child.
Egeus: I beg the law, the law upon his
head! *Pointing to Hermia*
*Dinamayan ni Demetrius ang nag
aalalang si Hermia*
Thesues: Fair lovers, you are
fortunately met. Egeus I will overbear your will; for in the temple, by and by,
with us, these couples shall eternally be knit. Away with us, to Athens. Three
and three, we'll hold a feast in great solemnity. *Umalis na sila Theseus at
aiwan na lang ang apat na lovers*
Demetrius: Are you sure that we are
awake? It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream.
Narrator: *Kay Nick Bottom* And so
another dreamer, Bottom, was transformed again from ass to actor, and left the
wood to join his anxious company in Athens to celebrate with their play Duke
Theseus's wedding day.
*Play, Pyramus and Thisbe*
Peter Quince: This man is Pyramus if
you would know; This beauteous lady Thisbe is, certain; This man, with lime and
rough-cast, doth present Wall - that vile wall which did thses lovers sunder;
This man, with lanthorn, dog and bush of thorn, prensenteth Moonshine. This
greastly beast, which lion hight by name... *rawrrrrrr* (Natakot si Thisbe/Peter
Quince, kaya tumakbo)
Egeus: Well run, thisbe.
Narrator: But bully Bottom, the
weaver, was best of all. He lived Pyramus, he died Pyramus.
Pyramus: Thus die I, thus, thus, thus,
(Stabbing himself) *laughing audience, nonstop laugh*
(Natapos na ang gabi)
Narrator: now the mortals have
succumbed to sleep, into the palace creep the happy spirits.
Oberon: *Chanting* through the house
give glimmering light.... Sing and dance it trippingly
Titania: *Chanting* Hand and han with
fairy grace, will we sing and bless this place.
Oberon; *chanting* Now, until the
break of day, through this house each
fairy stray. To the best bride will we, which by us shall blessed be. Trip
away; make no stay; Meet me all by break of day.
Narrator: And so at last, after the
madness of the Midsummer's night, the course of true love came home in smiles
and laughter, to peace, contentmen, and a well-earned rest.
