The Forest
[Enter PUCK, walking backwards with great anxiety, followed by FAIRIES entering from all directions.]
PUCK
[Apprehensive, yet oddly amused by his dilemma.]
Do you have the saffron elixir?
POPPY
Queen Mab's favorite!
[POPPY hands PUCK the gold and red vial.]
PUCK
Let's anoint Queen Mab with a battle axe!
Let's anoint Queen Mab with a battle axe!
[PUCK cocks his head sideways with an impatient look.]
Let's anoint Queen Mab with a battle axe!
POPPY
[Bug eyed, to fellow fairy TOADFLAX.]
Hit him, Toadflax! Strawberry did it last time.
PUCK
Let's anoint Queen Mab with a battle axe!
TOADFLAX
Where's Strawberry?
[Enter STRAWBERRY, formerly a fairy but currently a giant egg with legs, no arms.]
PUCK
Let's anoint Queen Mab with a battle axe!
Let's anoint Queen Mab with a battle axe!
STRAWBERRY
[Muffled voice from inside the egg.]
Cure the cursed Puck so he can change me back!
PUCK
Let's annoint Queen Mab with a battle axe!
POPPY
Walk slow Strawberry, lest you fall and crack!
PUCK
Let's....
[TOADFLAX slaps PUCK hard. TOADFLAX winces.]
PUCK
Thank you, brave Toadflax......for now.
[TOADFLAX cringes. All the FAIRIES release suppressed giggles, including PUCK. Then PUCK scowls again.]
HAREBELL
Queen Mab's curse must with humbleness be met.
PUCK
[Forgets he can no longer say: "I". He SNEEZES.]
I...ah choo!
I...ah choo!
FORGET-ME-NOT
How soon Puck forgets Mab made him forget!
BUD
Speak "royal", say, "ONE" like the mighty ones do!
YEW
Speak "baby talk", say "PUCK"! We will help you!
PUCK
[Nods to BUD.]
One forgets.
[Nods to YEW.]
Puck forgets.
[Nods to FORGET-ME-NOT.]
What did you say?
FORGET-ME-NOT
Yew said, "We will help you."
[Some of the FAIRIES giggle.]
HAREBELL
[Distressed.]
We must to the graveyard to Queen Mab's lair!
POPPY
Puck must sprinkle saffron on Queen Mab's hair!
YEW
Puck must be sorry and beg: "Pretty Please."
FOXGLOVE
Puck must say he was so wrong, on his knees!
TOADFLAX
Midsummer Eve Festival is tonight!
YARROW
King Oberon will kill if Puck's not right!
PUCK
[Very annoyed.]
Puck must cast spell to take us instant there!
[ALL the FAIRIES SCREAM, run for cover and hide behind trees, except STRAWBERRY, who doesn't dare run.]
STRAWBERRY
No spells until Puck is himself again!
Puck's spells backfire while Queen Mab has his brain!
FORGET-ME-NOT
[Timidly, peeping from behind a tree.]
We will help you if you don't make us eggs.
TOADFLAX
Oberon is coming! We must hurry!
[POPPY takes PUCKS hand. Puck begins to walk backwards.]
POPPY
Mab will remove the curse, don't you worry.
PUCK
[Raises a fist in the air while backing off stage.]
Puck will be good, for now, because he must.
Anon to pound Mab into fairy dust!
[They exit. STRAWBERRY slowly waddles off stage. FORGET-ME-NOT is the only one left. She comes out from behind the tree. Her head is the same but her body is now a GIANT SHOE. She hops off stage.]
FORGET-ME-NOT
Wait for me!
[Enter OBERON, King of the Fairies. He is no longer a small fairy. He is tall, proud and fierce.]
OBERON
[Points to the stars above. He roars like a proud lion.]
There is a new constellation tonight!
The sea witch is locked in the dark sky!
She made me small, but now am I set right!
Free to father and my queen satisfy!
~ to be continued ~
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