IIRC the "Double double" part is from the beginning of the play, meant to instantly garb the attention of the viewers, what with witchcraft and smoking cauldron.
The other line is actually typo'ed. It should be "pricking" not prickling. It was used at the opening of the 4th Act as a bit of commentary, referring to Macbeth as the "something wicked."
IIRC the "Double double" part is from the beginning of the play, meant to instantly garb the attention of the viewers, what with witchcraft and smoking cauldron.
Both the chant and "Something wicked" are from Act IV, Scene I, actually. Being a bit of a Shakespeare nerd, I checked when I was putting this together.
The other line is actually typo'ed. It should be "pricking" not prickling. It was used at the opening of the 4th Act as a bit of commentary, referring to Macbeth as the "something wicked."
... but obviously I didn't check thoroughly enough. Dammit!
By the prickling of my thumbs
something wicked
this way comes...
all three linesDouble, double toil and trouble;
fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
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.
