Act 4, Scene 1

SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.

    Thunder. Enter the three Witches

First Witch

    Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

Second Witch

    Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

Third Witch

    Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time.

First Witch

    Round about the cauldron go;
    In the poison'd entrails throw.
    Toad, that under cold stone
    Days and nights has thirty-one
    Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
    Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

ALL

    Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Second Witch

    Fillet of a fenny snake,
    In the cauldron boil and bake;
    Eye of newt and toe of frog,
    Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
    Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
    Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
    For a charm of powerful trouble,
    Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

ALL

    Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Third Witch

    Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
    Witches' mummy, maw and gulf
    Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,
    Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
    Liver of blaspheming Jew,
    Gall of goat, and slips of yew
    Silver'd in the moon's eclipse,
    Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
    Finger of birth-strangled babe
    Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
    Make the gruel thick and slab:
    Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
    For the ingredients of our cauldron.

ALL

    Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Second Witch

    Cool it with a baboon's blood,
    Then the charm is firm and good.

    Enter HECATE to the other three Witches

HECATE

    O well done! I commend your pains;
    And every one shall share i' the gains;
    And now about the cauldron sing,
    Live elves and fairies in a ring,
    Enchanting all that you put in.

    Music and a song: 'Black spirits,' & c

    HECATE retires

Second Witch

    By the pricking of my thumbs,
    Something wicked this way comes.
    Open, locks,
    Whoever knocks!

    Enter MACBETH