From Phee's Journal

         Bottom finally grew bored with weaving and for several days cast about, pacing here and there, poking his great donkey's nose into everything. Finally he must have had some chance encounter that inspired him for he suddenly became quite – excited, which led to an outburst of excruciating ee-aws before he could finally get his tongue to wrap around human words again. He then asked Harkin for the loan of a paper and quill(of course Harkin would own a quill or two even if he uses perfectly good fine pointed sharpies to write with).

         For days Bottom paced across the meadow, mumbling or braying dramatically while waving his arms about and then scribbling madly on his clutch of papers. Finally he presented himself to me smiling as only donkeys can do and announced he had written a play titled, The Gaarish of Marzipan.

         "How lovely," I said, "A play about food?" He looked somewhat offended and then said, "Well, in a way. If one thinks of a royal princess as food for a dragon."

         Then he proceeded to describe his cast of characters, which by the by, were all to be played by the boys, even the royal princess. Bottom, of course was to play the hero Gwydion who kills the dragon. The dragon was to be played by Wee Willy( who stands to about Bottom's knee cap), who will have eaten the witch played by Willy's pet duck(whose part in the play is unclear), and then the dragon will attempt eating the princess played by Snail. Bottom will rescue the princess after a duel with the evil wizard, played by Harken, and then after a very long and confusing speech about the woes of heroism and trying make decent friends, will kill the dragon.

         The girls were looking genuinely put out until Bottom, as if suddenly remembering them, turned with a theatrical bow and said, "And you, my fair ladies shall have the privilege of sewing our costumes!"

         I just smiled sweetly and said, "Well then, it looks like we have all that sorted out!" And quickly jumped up to make tea.

         After all, what is one to do with a four hundred year old donkey headed actor who thinks he can write like Shakespeare?

         One sidelong look as I dashed by Harken to get the tea things, told me what Harkin would like to do with him!

A Midsummer Nights Dream
By William Shakespeare

Act Two Scene One

(Copies of the play, or a synopsis, are available on the internet,
your local library, or any bookstore.)

         In Act Two, Scene One we are in the wood near Athens where a Fairy and Puck enter the stage from opposite sides.

         This is our introduction to the fair creature of wood through these two characters and their conversations about themselves, each other and their allegiances to and warnings about the King Oberon and Queen Titania who both plan to enter the wood that night bearing certain grievances over ownership of a small changling the Queen has claimed.

Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Call'd Robin Goodfellow; are not you he
That frights the maidens of the villagery?

Oberon and Titania, the King and Queen of the fairies have entered the forest, each with their own 'court'. They are less than happy to see each other for many reasons but the main issue on this midsummer's eve is the child that Titania has taken possession of and Oberon wants for himself.

Why should Titania cross her Oberon?
I do but beg a little changeling boy,
To be my henchman.