Queen Mab facts for kids

Queen Mab is a tiny fairy mentioned in Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo and Juliet. In the play, a character named Mercutio describes her. He says she is a very small creature who drives a tiny chariot. She rides this chariot across the faces of people while they are sleeping. This causes them to dream about their secret wishes coming true. Queen Mab has also appeared in other books after Shakespeare's play, like Moby Dick and Sense and Sensibility.

Who is Queen Mab?

Queen Mab is a magical fairy, but she is not a queen in the usual sense. Mercutio calls her the "fairies' midwife." This means she helps deliver dreams to people. She is incredibly small, no bigger than a tiny stone on a finger.

Her Tiny Chariot

Queen Mab travels in a very special chariot. It is made from natural things:

• The wheels are made from the legs of long spiders.
• The cover is made from grasshopper wings.
• The ropes that pull it are from the smallest spider's web.
• Her whip is a cricket's bone with a thin film for the lash.
• Her driver is a tiny, gray-coated gnat.
• The chariot itself is an empty hazelnut shell. Squirrels or old grubs make these shells for her.

What Dreams Does She Bring?

Queen Mab gallops through the night, visiting different people. She causes them to dream about what they want most:

• For lovers: She makes them dream of love and romance.
• For courtiers: They dream of bowing and showing respect.
• For lawyers: They dream of earning money for their work.
• For ladies: They dream of kisses. Mercutio says she sometimes gives them blisters if their breath is not sweet!
• For soldiers: They dream of battles and fighting bravely. She might even make them hear drums in their sleep, causing them to wake up quickly.

Other Mischievous Acts

Queen Mab is not just about dreams. She also plays tricks:

• She tangles the manes of horses at night.
• She messes up people's hair, creating "elflocks." If these tangled knots are undone, it is said to bring bad luck.

Queen Mab in Other Stories

After Shakespeare's play, Queen Mab appeared in other famous books. She is mentioned in Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick, a story about a big white whale. She also appears in Jane Austen's book Sense and Sensibility, which is about two sisters and their lives. These mentions show how Shakespeare's character became famous in literature.

Images for kids

• 

  Queen Mab, illustration by Arthur Rackham (1906)

See also

In Spanish: Reina Mab para niños