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NYMPHIDIA.
At length one chanc'd to find a nut,In th' end of which a hole was cut,Which lay upon a hazel root, There scatter'd by a squirrel,Which out the kernel gotten had:When quoth this fay, Dear queen, be glad,Let Oberon be ne'er so mad, I'll set you safe from peril.
Come all into this nut, quoth she,Come closely in, be rul'd by me,Each one may here a chuser be, For room ye need not wrestle,Nor need ye be together heapt:So one by one therein they creept,And lying down, they soundly slept, And safe as in a castle.
Nymphidia, that this while doth watch,Perceiv'd if Puck the queen should catch,That he would be her over-match, Of which she well bethought her;Found it must be some pow'rful charm,The queen against him that must arm,Or surely he would do her harm, For throughly he had sought her.
