Act 3 Scene 6 THE BLOODY LETTER

DAME JE MARSHALL PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

ANOTHER MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM 

ACT 3

Scene 6

THE BLOODY LETTER

~ Curtain Opens ~ 

The dark and dangerous clearing, deep in the forest where OBERON regroups and prepares for battle.  A low fog rolls in and a light snow begins.

 Enter HAREBELLE and YARROW, guarding the scene.

HAREBELLE 

It were good that Oberon restored our youth.  My older bones could not abide these battles and the wandering weathers of this night.  Mark how Oberon hath frighted summer's sultry night into these frozen vapors with the sting of a viper's bite.

YARROW 

Even our young bones may not launch arrows against Queen Mab's army to any effect.  We were defeated because her warriors were like open doors through which our arrows flew to lodge in trees!  But soft, villagers approach! Let them not see us!

[ HAREBELLE and YARROW hide.]

 Enter NICHOLAS WINTERBOTTOM, PERCY PEAR, FRANCIS QUIBBLE, WALTER ANDREAS, TOOT and SIEVE

PERCY PEAR

We look like bears in these coats.  Are bears in season?

WALTER ANDREAS

Would you rather freeze to death?

PERCY PEAR

The season is not in season.  I suppose all bets are off.

WALTER ANDREAS

Nobody wants to hang your mug over their fireplace, believe me.  You're not in season.

[FRANCIS  QUIBBLE is so cold his lips are blue and his tongue is tied.  He sees a tree studded with arrows and tries to warn everyone.]

FRANCIS QUIBBLE

Umteen ees nn seas on!  Ook at at eee! 

[NICHOLAS WINTERBOTTOM fishes out black cloths from a bag and hands one to everyone.  He hands two to FRANCIS QUIBBLE.]

NICHOLAS WINTERBOTTOM

(To Francis)

Your face is frozen! Tie the second one around your mouth...to warm your lips.  I can't understand a word you are saying. 

NICHOLAS WINTERBOTTOM 

(To everyone)

This will keep us safe.  Tie on your bandit masks like so, everyone!

 [ FRANCIS sighs, turns his back on the arrow studded tree and follows WINTERBOTTOM and tugs on his coat sleeve to get his attention again.  Meanwhile, YARROW and HAREBELLE remove the arrows and hide again.]

NICHOLAS WINTERBOTTOM

I don't see anything.

SIEVE

Are we going to commit masked robbery?

PERCY

(To SIEVE)

That's the plan.  Quick! Nab those pinecones before some squirrel beats you to it!

PERCY 

(To WALTER) 

You look like a giant, woolly, prehistoric raccoon.

WINTERBOTTOM

We aren't going to rob. We are just borrowing the peace and quiet that robbers enjoy.  No one wants to bother a robber.  Now let's head up the mountain to that cave where I used to play as a boy.   We can build a fire and hide there tonight.  In the morning we will check to see if the village is still there.

TOOT

My bakery!

SIEVE

I wish I had robbed your bakery before we left the village, but I wasn't a robber then.

They all exit. 

Enter YARROW and HAREBELLE, followed by TOADFLAX and YEW carrying POPPY on a stretcher which they place of the ground gently and replace the cloth that was covering POPPY'S face.  POPPY is dead.

TOADFLAX

How stood your guard?

HAREBELLE

Quiet, save for some villagers seeking refuge in the caves

TOADFLAX

There is no refuge in this night.  Like as not they will find in the cavern some relative to the merciless spirits who killed our Poppy.  I would not venture the caverns tonight.

YEW

Nor would I

Enter FOXGLOVE, BUD, PUCK, OBERON and a legion of OBERON'S FAIRIES, all armed with bows and arrows.  PUCK bows to OBERON before making his report.

PUCK

Before the attack I was given a letter by Rowan.  A letter writ by Queen Titania.  Upon my injury, I gave the letter to Poppy for safe keeping.

TOADFLAX

Poppy is dead. 

Enter more Soldier Fairies carrying the bodies of STRAWBERRY and FORGET-ME-NOT, which they place beside POPPY.  PUCK  is sickened by POPPY'S death, but does what he must.   He kneels and searches POPPY for the letter.  He finds the letter soaked with POPPY'S blood.

PUCK

(Softly to Poppy)

Gentle Poppy, I do not think heaven has had time to prepare for you.  Do your best to persuade them to allow me to enter when my time comes.  I desire more adventures with you.  Who are your companions?

[PUCK pulls back the cloths and to reveal STRAWBERRY and FORGET-ME-NOT. PUCK weeps a little and quickly pulls himself together.]

PUCK

(Softly to POPPY)

Good choice of traveling companions, Dear Poppy. Look after eachother.

(PUCK kisses POPPY'S forehead)

PUCK 

Until we meet again.

[PUCK rises and quickly brings the letter to OBERON as the soldiers continue to bring in more of the dead and place them next to POPPY.  PUCK hands the blood soaked letter to KING OBERON.  OBERON opens it carefully.] 

OBERON

This is my Lady's hand.  The ink runs with Poppy's blood, joined by my tears, for Titania  has refused to remain my wife.

[OBERON crumbles the letter, throws it on the ground and turns away so no one can see him weep.]

Enter HERALD with his golden beaver down. Before HERALD can say a word, OBERON'S FAIRIES have  all drawn their weapons and have HERALD in their sites.   OBERON spins around with no trace of the heartache that gripped him a moment ago. OBERON motions for HERALD to approach. 

OBERON

 (Aside to PUCK)

I know that gait, and yet I should not, for it's owner is a dead man.

 OBERON

 (To Herald)

Speak Herald. Tell us thy name and speak of ransom.

HERALD

Queen Mab graciously grants King Oberon permission to gather his dead and leave this island before dawn, never to return.

OBERON

Speak thy name, Herald.

HERALD

Thou knowest I am the Herald Bandar, once Knight of thy train, stolen from the Indian King, stolen from thy Virgin Queen,  stolen from thee by death, stolen from death by my dread mistress Queen Mab.  Take flight with thy dead, former master, before their souls are snatched and forced to kill thee. 

PUCK

Surely Poppy is already beyond Mab's reach!

HERALD

No one is beyond Her Majesty's reach.  Accept the mercy Queen Mab offers and flee.  Heed this the message or suffer my fate.

OBERON

You may tell your Queen that her message is understood and that we will spend this night searching for a worm vile enough to eat her wretched heart for breakfast at dawn.  Fare-thee-well, Bandar, Herald from hell.

BANDAR THE HERALD bows and exits.

OBERON

(To PUCK)

Select a group to tend the dead and tell the rest to prepare to embark at once.  We are going to the Temple of The Virgins.  This eve turned when that blue diamond appeared upon my love's sweet neck.   Suddenly she is moved to remain a virgin for all time and will have none of me.  The Goddess Artemis knows Titania's heart is mine.  Prepare the troops to hunt the Great Huntress!

PUCK

(Bows and prepares to exit)

Good, my Lord.

OBERON

And let it be known by all that Rowan is a traitor to be killed at first sight.  Do not attempt to capture her. Kill Rowan.

PUCK

(To himself)

I will kill Rowan tonight as I have killed her many times in my dreams.  It is an honor I dream of often.  It is an honor I will not share.  Rowan is mine and mine alone.

PUCK and the remaining FAIRIES exit.

[OBERON stands alone with the dead]

OBERON

May the Gods forgive me if Rowan is not a traitor.  Traitor or no, she deserves to die for not protecting Titania.

OBERON exits.

 [Two knotholes in a tree open and reveal  a pair of eyes that look about.  ROWAN steps out of the tree.  She looks upon the dead and SIGHS sadly.  She walks to where OBERON threw the letter and picks it up, carefully uncrumpling it.]

ROWAN

(To herself)

O letter misread! True writ, but thy ink hath bled.  I must take you now to Artemis.  Nothing here to be done or said.  Everyone here wishes me dead.

~Curtain Closes~

ACT 3 Scene 5: DRINK THOU THIS HELL-BROTH

 

DRINK THOU THIS HELL-BROTH 

 

ACT 3

 

Scene 5

 

~ Curtain Opens ~

 

The forest, in the mountains of the enchanted Greek island, where the trees are dead, all save one, which appears dead as well, but has eyes that spy.

 

[ The evil spirits AGONIGHTUS,  KALIMAY, WACANDAMACA and FIFI  stand in a small clearing in front of a cave. Their faces are melted to the bone from the exposure to St. John's Wort flowers at Thisbe's Tavern.  ROWAN spies on them as a dead-seeming tree.]

 

 AGONIGHTUS

 

Someone watches us.  Yet behold how the Belladonna still rests upon her  bed of the sea.

 

[ AGONIGHTUS points off stage.]

 

KALIMAY

 

If not Belladonna, then who can it be?

 

FIFI

 

[ Points to the heavens.] 

 

Does Beatrice watch us with starry eyes?

 

 

 

 WACANDAMACA

 

Forgive us, Beatrice.  We could not have known.

 

AGONIGHTUS

 

 We should have known the Groach was made of lies and she and Mab already had the stone.

 

FIFI

 

Twas their plot that stripped our faces to bone.

 

KALIMAY

 

We seek to save you and make them atone.

 

[ They raise their arms to the skies. ]

 

ALL

 

By Groach and Queen Mab we have been betrayed!

 

Thus our faces taken by their device!

 

Faceless we are but are not to be stayed!

 

Double crossed we, but never so done twice! 

 

 

 

[ A sinister VOICE comes forth from the CAVE with a glowing green mist.] 

 

 VOICE FROM CAVE

 

Sisters, I am more here than I am there!

 

So by the Stone of Artemis torn twain,

 

My good nature imprisoned where you stare,

 

The rest of me cast near hell worse than slain!

 

[ They all walk to the mouth of the cave.]

 

ALL

 

Beatrice!

 

 

 

VOICE FROM THE CAVE / BEATRICE 

 

Aye, my greater part is here in this hold,

 

By Queen for her King was I stole from life!

 

Secrets of the battle I now unfold.

 

She herself did cut with the diamond knife!

 

Her good self now locked in same stars with mine,

 

Her bad side walks the isle still in body,

 

Whilst I, an ooze, locked in earth do confine!

 

Till thee drink of me to my soul embody!

 

Drink thou this hell broth and speak only death!

 

All who smell thy words shall die of thy breath!

 

Make haste and to thy fell purpose take seize!

 

There is life left yet in one of these trees! 

 

[ The CAVE vomits a disgusting looking, lumpy broth.  WACANDAMACA, AGONIGHTUS, FIFI and KALIMAY fall to their knees and scoop up handfuls of the hell broth and drink.  They all rise and don golden helmets exactly like the one QUEEN MAB wears.  They all exit.]

 

VOICE FROM THE CAVE / BEATRICE

 

[ Hissing out with a rolling green fog] 

 

Die! 

 

[ ROWAN exits the tree she was hiding inside. ]

 

ROWAN

 

[Sighing to herself]

 

O most horrible sight!

 

Long yet short grows this night!

 

[ ROWAN exits just before the deadly green fog reaches her hiding place.]

 

~ CURTAIN CLOSES ~

 

                                  ~ TO BE CONTINUED ~ 

 

 

 

 

ACT 3 Scene 4 THE RATH OF OBERON

 ACT 3



Scene 4

THE RATH OF OBERON

THE RAPE OF OBERON

~ CURTAIN OPENS ~

A dark and dangerous clearing, deep in the forest. The wind howls. There is lightning and thunder.

[ PUCK is on the ground crying in pain and swearing. FORGET-ME-NOT, TOADFLAX, HAREBELLE, YARROW, YEW and FOXGLOVE are tending Puck's wounds. POPPY is standing guard.]

PUCK

( Screams)

I shall chop her to bits and make a bonfire of her rotten wood!

Enter STRAWBERRY.

POPPY

Hail, Strawberry! Help me keep this frightful watch!

STRAWBERRY

Good Poppy, what are these dread noises?

POPPY

Puck hath with all his might, slammed into the tree of Rowan, where upon he sees double and cries out, "Death to both of you, thou treacherous tree witch!"

STRAWBERRY

What is the quarrel?

POPPY

Titania's servant, Rowan, gives to Puck this sealed letter from the Fairy Queen, which I now hold for safe keeping while Puck's wounds are dressed.

[ Poppy pulls a letter from her pockets, shows it to Strawberry, then puts it away carefully.]

STRAWBERRY

O miserable mess! How do they make war over this letter?

POPPY

Puck asks of Rowan why she does not give the letter, since she seeks Oberon herself and that he should not disturb his Captain until Oberon were calm again. Rowan, full of impatience, replies that Great Oberon will likely kill the bearer of this note and if Puck would do the honor, it should greatly please both the fairy kingdom and the realm of man.

[ Poppy makes a fist and rears back to throw a punch, showing Strawberry how it went.]

POPPY

( Continues )

In this way and war-like, Puck dashes to strike Rowan. Rowan transforms herself into a mighty tree, which is the form in which she sleeps. Puck hits her stone-like tree with such a force that brings forth his terrible injury which we now tend to mend.

[LIGHTNING and THUNDER and WIND intensify.]

POPPY AND STRAWBERRY

( Both Shouting)

Hide! Something terrible approaches!

[ The fairies cover Puck's mouth and drag him. They exit.]

Enter QUEEN MAB, backwards, brandishing a great silver sword.

Enter OBERON, also wielding a great sword, forcing her to back away from him and appears to have the upper hand.

OBERON

Answer my question or die, thou filthy hag!

[Queen Mab abruptly stops backing up.]

QUEEN MAB

Here is my reply!

[ With shocking and unexpected force, Queen Mab's sword knocks Oberon's sword out of his hand. She round kicks him to the ground and stands over him with her sword at his neck.]

OBERON

Bear my body to my Queen Titania. Do not leave it for the animals to devour. That is all I ask.

[ Enter QUEEN MAB'S ARMY. They drive stakes into the ground and bind his hands and feet, then stand guard.]

QUEEN MAB

Bear it to her yourself, King Oberon, after I have ravished thee. I am to be thy first and I will get from thee a terrible son who will become the Dread Sovereign of the Fairy Kingdom!

Enter PUCK, STRAWBERRY, POPPY, FORGET-ME-NOT, TOADFLAX, HAREBELL, YARROW, YEW and FOXGLOVE, all SCREAMING with their weapons drawn. They fight valiantly but are outnumbered and driven away by QUEEN MAB'S ARMY.

~ CURTAIN CLOSES ~

~ To Be Continued ~

 

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ACT 3 Scene 2 THE TEARS OF OBERON

ACT 3

Scene 2

~ CURTAIN OPENS ~

 

The Enchanted Island's Port Village Square.

[ The backdrop is the sea with Freddie's yacht in the distance.  The store fronts include Percy Pear's Print Shop, Winterbottom's Stained Glass, Toot's Sweets & Bakery, Quibble's Accounting, Sieve's Water Taxi, Thisbe's Tavern and the entrance to the Sea Breeze Hotel.]

[ St. John's Eve / Midsummer's Eve Festival is in full swing.  Street vendors with push carts sell food, yellow balloons, sparklers, crowns made of yellow silk flowers and party favors.  Street musicians roam about.  The villagers eat, dance, sing, visit the fortune teller, a kissing booth and game booths.  On the edge of the fountain sits a much older version of the fairy POPPY, eating ice cream, enjoying the festival, legs swinging to and fro.]

Enter ROWAN.

[ ROWAN has her fairy wings tucked away and is dressed like the villagers.  She is on a serious mission but can't help but smile when she sees the ancient version of POPPY.]

ROWAN

 [ Suppressing a grin.]

 Hillo! Ho! Here sits someone merry! Enjoying the high day?

[ POPPY is startled, drops the ice cream into the fountain and almost falls in herself but is saved by ROWAN at the last second.]

ROWAN

 Peace, ancient stranger who looks very like Poppy.  Here is thy dropp-ed cane to steady thee!

POPPY

 [ Disoriented ]

 Much thanks for my walking stick, for I needs must beat thee with it, as thou knowest well I am that Poppy, sent to spy in the village!

ROWAN

Why, gentle Poppy, where is thy eternal youth?

POPPY

Oberon hath made us instant old for our thievish pursuits at St. John's Priory, which thou well knowest, because he quoth to us thy long report at the punishment.

ROWAN

Even so, I am sent to soft thy mission.  Spy no more for traces of Titania.  Cease that and begin as Wort's assistant.

[Enter WORT, dragging a great flower cart filled with baskets of St. John's Wort Flowers.]

ROWAN

Poppy, help Wort distribute her flower to every villager.

POPPY

I answer to Oberon and Puck.  You and Wort serve Titania and I am too old for this!

[ WORT puts one of her yellow wreaths on POPPY'S head.]

ROWAN

Tonight we serve the Fairy Kingdom which they do jointly rule.

POPPY

But see how the villagers already wear the crowns of Wort.

ROWAN

Even now, evil spirits walk our island as the villagers have taken to silk flowers that wither not and carry not the true-sweet, witch repelling nectar.

Enter THREE LITTLE GIRLS.  

[ ROWAN gives a wreath to each of the THREE LITTLE GIRLS who have skipped up to the fountain to wash off items they found on the ground.  The girls happily wear the wreaths and share what they have found]

FIRST LITTLE GIRL

[ To Rowan ]

Here's some Fairy Stones for you!  Thank you for the flowers!

SECOND LITTLE GIRL

[ Handing some stones to Poppy.]

These are for you.  They bring good luck!

THIRD LITTLE GIRL

[ Giving stones to Wort.]

This is your share.  They fell from the sky!

FIRST LITTLE GIRL

[Pointing off stage]

Look!  Fireworks!

Exit THREE LITTLE GIRLS

WORT

These are not ordinary Fairy Stones!

ROWAN

Indeed, this night is turning foul.  These are the tears of Oberon.  Make haste!  Where is Puck?

[ POPPY lifts her trembling cane and points at THISBE'S TAVERN.]

POPPY

He is up to old tricks in the tavern!

~ CURTAIN CLOSES ~

Please have some refreshments in the lobby and be sure to return for:

Act 3  Scene 3:

 MEANWHILE, BACK AT THISBE'S

ACT 3 Scene 1 ABOARD THE BELLADONNA

ACT 3

Scene 1

Aboard the Groach Ship, BELLADONNA, Captain's Quarters.

[ The BELLADONNA is alive.  Her breath is heavy, almost masculine.  Jewels, gold and other treasures sparkle and fill every available space.  She rocks and creaks and her breathing begins to form words, then a very slow, gravelly singing to the melody of Alice Cooper's: "I'm 18". ]

BELLADONNA

[ Surround Sound, Heavy Breathing, Gravelly Voiced Singing]

Eatiiiiiiinnnnnng.

Eatiiiiiiiinnnnnnng.

I'm eatiiiiiiiiiinnnnng.

Even full from stern to bow,

Even full from bottom to top,

I want some more and I want it right now!

I'm too full but I can't stop!

I'm eating, and I eat more everyday.

Eating.  Don't try to get away!

I'm eating, any time or place.

I'm eating more than a black hole in space!

O, so full from my bow to my stern!

O, so full, top to butt!

Nothing on earth can make my stomach turn.

Welcome to my endless gut!

Even when I'm eating, I feel like I'm not.

Don't care if it is cold or hot.

Don't always chew, sometimes swallow it whole.

No matter how much, I want more than I got.

I'm eatiiiiinnnng.

Eatiiiiiiinnnnnnng!

Eating cause I like it!

[Enter AGONIGHTUS, KALIMAY, WACANDAMACA and FIFI.  Even these fierce, evil spirits seem shocked by the amount of treasure and somewhat nervous about being aboard the BELLADONNA.]

AGONIGHTUS

Are you ready to go ashore?

BELLADONNA

[Creaking, the sound of splitting wood, then the voice]

By and by.

[ A different VOICE from behind a red velvet curtain abruptly speaks in a squeaky, stressed manner.  The VOICE is "shhhhed" by other frightened VOICES.]

VOICE

By and by is easily said.

OTHER VOICES

Shhhh!

AGONIGHTUS

What was that?

BELLADONNA

Hmmm.  Just a bit of someone undigested.  Go now.  I will find you in the village.

[AGONIGHTUS, KALIMAY, WACANDAMACA and FIFI exit rapidly]

~ To Be Continued ~

http://bit.ly/imBp8E I'm 18/Alice Cooper

ACT 2 Scene 4 A TRAITOR IN FAIRYLAND

ACT 2

Scene 4

The dock for St. John's Priory on the other side of the enchanted island.

[ It is dark except for one faint light on a lamppost which flickers and goes out. SIEVE'S boat is the only one there. SIEVE and HANK'S BODY (now possessed by his twin LEO) and the GOAT(possessed by FREDDIE, the twin's father), step out of the boat and onto the dock with only a flashlight to guide them.]

SIEVE

Alas, poor goat!  I got thee to the priory!

HANK/LEO

It's so dark. Are you sure we are in the right place?  Give me the flashlight!

[ SIEVE gives HANK/LEO the flashlight, takes out his spyglass and looks at the stars and SCREAMS ]

SIEVE

We're in the wrong hemisphere! 

HANK/LEO

Give me that!  What's the matter with you?  We haven't had time to change hemispheres!

[ HANK/LEO grabs the spyglass and gives SIEVE the flashlight.]

SIEVE

I've never seen those stars before!  Besides, I told you no one is here, they're all at the festival.

HANK/LEO

If that's my father's yacht, then we're on the wrong side of the island.

[ HANK/LEO looks out to sea through the spyglass.]

B, E, L, L, A, D, O, N, N, A.    Not my dad's.

SIEVE

[Shrill voice, very anxious]

Was this the ship that lunched a thousand faces and burnt them for hours in it's bottomless monster ileum?!

HANK/LEO

You are drunk!

SIEVE

[ Shines the light around the dock rapidly.]

This looks like the right place.  Let's drop off the goat and get the hell out of here!

HANK/LEO

Give me the flashlight and the goat!  You stay right here!  Don't you dare leave! Leda is out there, somewhere!  We're not leaving without my wife!

SIEVE

I'll wait in the boat. Right here in the boat.

[ HANK/LEO drags the goat by the rope, goes down the dock, turns and shines the light back towards SIEVE, who is ducking in the boat , only visible from the eyes up. He comes upon the lamppost and tightens the bulb. The light comes back on.]

HANK/LEO

The bulb was just loose.  I can see the path now.  I'll be back with Leda in a minute. Don't you dare leave without us!

[ HANK/LEO and the GOAT/FREDDIE exit ]

[ A moment of silence.]  

[Enter LEO'S  body possessed by HANK'S spirit, like a bat out of hell.  He grabs the lamppost, catches his breath and scrambles towards the boat.]

LEO/HANK

A boat!  Thank God!

(Laughs hysterically, then is suddenly serious.)

Get me out of here!

SIEVE

That was fast!

[ SIEVE gets out of the boat and walks towards LEO/HANK.  LEO/HANK grabs SIEVE by the shoulders and shakes him while he yells at him.] 

LEO/HANK

Get back in the boat!  You take me to the Sea Breeze Hotel right now!  Right now!  Get me out of here! I smell beer!

SIEVE

I'll throw the beer overboard if it bothers you that much. 

LEO/HANK

No! Don't do that.  I want one.  Start the boat first. Hurry!

SIEVE

Look, it's none of my business, but, there is no way you had time to search for Leda.  I thought you wanted to find her.

LEO/HANK

( Laughs like a mad man, then gets serious abuptly.)

You know her!?  Well, why not.  Afterall, she's a hootchy-kootchy woman.  She's the one I'm trying to get away from!  She's stalking me!

SIEVE

I need another beer.

LEO/HANK

We drink when we are so far from the shore that she can't swim out to us!

[ SIEVE and LEO/HANK exit.]

[ Enter HANK/LEO]

HANK/LEO

( Shouting)

Hey! Hey! I paid you to wait for me!

[ HANK/LEO realizes he's too late and begins to talk to himself.]

HANK/LEO

That's alright. I will deal with you later.  Lost my father-the-goat chasin after the boat.  That's alright too.  I'll find him later. I'm the only one who knows what's going on around here.

[ HANK/LEO exits into the bushes.]

[ Enter fierce ROWAN, Titania's Body Guard.  She has something tiny in the palm of her hand.]

ROWAN

 Here is thy once missing scepter, Your Majesty. 

[There is a great puff of smoke from which QUEEN MAB appears in the human sized version of herself, still wearing her usual golden helmet. She takes the almost invisible scepter from ROWAN'S palm.]

ROWAN

How went the meeting aboard the frightful Belladonna?

QUEEN MAB

The Mosquito and I saw eye to eye. All will go as planned.  She briefs the others as we speak.  And where did we find Our one time missing Scepter?

 

ROWAN

   With a Puck.  I had Seadew tender that Puck asleep with a soothing mist so I might retrieve thy scepter undetected.  He sleeps even now in the bushes nearby, with his train of followers, all wearing the weeds of good monks and blessed nuns. He hath done much mischief this evening. He hath heard confessions and made marriages and feasted upon many months of stored supplies belonging to St. John's Priory. He hath turned a well known and wealthy human into a goat.  He hath switched the souls of that man's twin sons.  A sleep seemed the only way to deal with him.

QUEEN MAB

It seems Our curse did little to keep Puck out of our way. Take you this potion and give it him and his fairies before they wake.  It will remove the curse and  everyone's memory of this evening's events. Then will Oberon find his fatted fairies sleeping and no excuses to be made. Let the goat and his twins keep up the run. We will tend to them when the worst is done! This will suit Our purpose.

ROWAN

If Your Majesty has no other tasks for me, I will attend to Puck and then continue to appear to search for Queen Titania.

QUEEN MAB

Worthy, strong and true Rowan, you will be much rewarded for your loyalty to Us.

[ROWAN bows deeply and respectfully to QUEEN MAB. ]

[ QUEEN MAB exits.]

[ Enter SEADEW, a sweet and goofy fairy who giggles a lot, the same SEADEW who earlier attended upon TITANIA asked TITANIA if she wanted her blue diamond removed before her nap.]

ROWAN

More mist! More mist!  The Queen commands that Oberon shall find a lazy lump of Puck!

SEADEW

( giggles)

Which Queen?

ROWAN

(Pretending to be angry)

What?  Shall I beat you?  Did you call our Queen a witch?

[SEADEW runs in circles flapping her arms.  ROWAN catches her before SEADEW hits the lamppost.]

SEADEW

Making the mist.  Just making the mist. Come Seamint! Help me make the mist!

ROWAN

(Affectionately)

Come, silly Seadew. Oberon is near.

[ ROWAN and SEADEW exit into the bushes.]

[Enter OBERON, boiling mad.]

OBERON

Methinks I never ate anger till now!

Appear thou Puck or thee I disavow!

[ Enter ROWAN.  SEADEW and SEAMINT, a male version of SEADEW, sneak out of the bushes to follow ROWAN ]

OBERON

 Servants of my missing Queen, what do you report?

SEAMINT

( Whispers to Seadew)

That I have never seen such testosterone in an Oberon before!

[ ROWAN swats SEADEW and SEAMINT back towards the bushes and scolds them.]

ROWAN

Seamint! Seadew! Get thee gone!

Dare not play with Oberon!

[Exit SEAMINT and SEADEW.]

OBERON

Fierce Rowan, tell me what you tell the bushes!

ROWAN

Indeed My Lord, I tell them that they snore in their sleep! Here! No, there!  Hast thou ever heard so sore a snore?  Well, no matter what wild boar sleeps here, I must continue my search for my Queen!

[ ROWAN points to where she left PUCK and his TRAIN OF FAIRIES sleeping. ROWAN exits.]

OBERON

(To himself)

I will wake this creature that dares to sleep on such a night!

[ OBERON exits into the bushes.]

~ To Be Continued ~