Miko: annotations

laugh

a young female horse

In the folios and quartos, “etc” is spelled “&c”.

closed

Modern texts add the stage direction that Oberon exits before Lysander and Hermia enter.

This stage direction is not in the First Quarto.

clever or elegant

In Greek mythology, water beings such as mermaids and nymphs were often portrayed as riding dolphins. Mermaids could sing so beautifully that the sea would become calm. For example, Bullifinch's Mythology has the sorceress Alcina saying that a mermaid “sings so sweetly that the very waves flow smoother at the sound”.

You can fix it.

“Well met” was a common phrase meaning “it's good to see you”. Oberon uses “ill” instead of “well” to mean that he's not happy to see Titania.