| Moth | |
| Characters Adapted from Other Works | |
| First Appearance: | "A Midsummer Night's Dream" |
| Creator: | William Shakespeare |
| Nationality: | Faerie |
| Occupation: | Royal retainer |
| Appearing in: | |
| "A Late Symmer Night's Battle" by Laura Frankos Fantasy pastiche | |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Relatives: | Peaseblossom (cousin) |
Moth, spelled Mote in some editions, is a fairy character from William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. Along with Peaseblossom, Cobweb, and Mustardseed, Moth is one of the royal retainers who accompany Queen Titania in most of the Queen's scenes. The retainers are stock characters with very little character development or individual personality, and are not considered especially desirable roles for actors, nor the subject of extensive analysis by Shakespeare scholars.
Moth in "A Late Symmer Night's Battle"[]
Moth was one of the royal retainers of Queen Titania of Faerie. She was at the Queen's side throughout the much-publicized humorous dispute with King Oberon over the apprentice Ghosh. She was slighter and more insecure than her fellow retainers. She was one of Peaseblossom's living relatives; the rest of Peaseblossom's family fell to reremice attacks.
With the fight between Titania and Oberon called off, Moth became Ghosh's primary caregiver. She was engaged to Throstle, a captain. While Peaseblossom considered Ghosh a monster, Moth argued that he was sweet and would make an excellent page one day. Their friend, Mustardseed was amused when Moth showed her temper while defending Ghosh.
On one occasion, Peaseblossom informed Moth and Mustardseed that fellow retainer Cobweb came home on leave, and Peaseblossom decided to celebrate by throwing a party. Moth agreed to come with the understanding that Ghosh may also have to come, much. Mustardseed was initially hesitant, given the recent break-up with Robin Goodfellow, but decided to go to see Webby again.
As expected, Moth spent much of the party watching out for Ghosh. She was present when when Lady Quill, the acting leader of the fairies, announced that a tribe of German kobolds invaded Faerie while its monarchs were on their Second Honeymoon Tour.
Moth participated in the battle against the kobold, then helped fight the reremice that attacked both factions. Fortuitously, while digging the week before, Ghosh had discovered deep caves. Moth led the fairies below, and alerted Mustardseed, who in turn brought kobolds to the caves under a flag of truce. The kobolds discovered that the caves contained enough silver to support them indefinitely.
Moth was the best leather-worker of the group. While Ghosh was napping, she was able to tighten up Mustardseed's armor straps, made a belt for her beau, Throstle, and began stitching pants for Ghosh.
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