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Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies, quarrel over possession of a young Indian boy. Oberon orders Robin Goodfellow, or "Puck," to obtain a special flower that makes people fall in love with the next creature they see. Oberon wants to make Titania fall in love with a beast and use her infatuation to get the Indian boy from her.

Meanwhile, Lysander and Hermia, happy lovers, and their unhappy friends, Helena and Demetrius, stray into the forest.  Helena's desire for Demetrius is unrequited for he desires Hermia.  Demetrius enters pursued by Helena, whom he tries to drive away.  When Puck returns, Oberon, who sympathizes with Helena's love, orders him to find Demetrius and apply some of the flower's magic nectar to his eyes. Weary Lysander and Hermia enter and fall asleep nearby. Puck mistakenly anoints the eyes of the sleeping Lysander!

Oberon anoints Titania's eyes while she sleeps, as a group meet in the woods to rehearse their play. Puck happens by and transforms Bottom's head into that of an ass. Abandoned by his terrified friends, Bottom sings, waking Titania. Under the flower's magical spell, she falls in love with Bottom and takes him away to sleep in her bower.

Lysander wakes, under Puck's magical influence, as Helena enters. Lysander professes his love much to Helena's dismay. Demetrius enters, also under the spell's influence, and begins to woo Helena.  Lysander and Demetrius prepare to duel.  Hermia wakes and is shocked to see Lysander's affection for Helena. Feeling abandoned, she threatens Helena. 

Oberon enters with Puck and commands that he make all that is awry right again. Puck, by his magic, causes them to separate and fall asleep. He arranges Helena to be beside Demetrius, still charmed, and Lysander, his spell removed, to be beside Hermia. Titania and her attendants pamper Bottom, who falls asleep with her.  Oberon, watching them, tells Puck that Titania has given him the Indian boy; now, they can remove the spells from Titania and Bottom.  Reunited, Titania and Oberon use music to charm Bottom and the four lovers into a deep sleep and then exit.

The four lovers awake and are united--Lysander with Hermia and Demetrius with Helena. As the lovers depart for Athens, Bottom wakes and attempts to recall his night, which seems a dream now.When the newly married retire to bed,Titania and Oberon enter with the fairies to bless the two marriages.