PUCK  Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,

Telling the bushes that thou look’st for wars,

And wilt not come? Come, recreant, come, thou child.

I’ll whip thee with a rod: he is defiled

That draws a sword on thee.

DEMETRIUS               Yea, art thou there?

PUCK  Follow my voice. We’ll try no manhood here. (Exeunt.)    (3.2.407-412)

Puck imitates Lysander’s voice now, taunting Demetrius: thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars, telling the bushes that thou look’st for wars, and wilt not come? Come and say all that to my face, rather than shouting at the sky, and swearing and making yourself sound the big man; come and have a go if you’re hard enough! Come, recreant, come, thou child. You COWARD, you big BABY! I’ll whip thee with a rod, send you home with a smacked bottom,* like the naughty boy you are. It’s beneath my dignity to fight with you, besides, I might catch something, like being a SISSY, if I get too close: he is defiled that draws a sword on thee. (Puck is enjoying this, pressing all the right buttons.) Yea, art thou there? Where are you? Is that you? Demetrius is asking for information (it’s DARK) as well as sneering, oh, you again? Follow my voice, then, says Puck—he’s got to keep them apart until they’re exhausted enough to sleep. We’ll try no manhood here; there’s better fighting ground than this. Going to WHIP YOU GOOD.

*not that sort of Bottom