Jill lay asleep in all her splendor , the bonny `` Prince '' just lifting the veil to wake her with a kiss , and all about them the court in its nap of a hundred years . The `` King '' and `` Queen '' dozing comfortably on the throne ; the maids of honor , like a garland of nodding flowers , about the couch ; the little page , unconscious of the blow about to fall , and the fool dreaming , with his mouth wide open . It was so pretty , people did not tire of looking , till Jack 's lame leg began to tremble , and he whispered : `` Drop her or I shall pitch . '' Down went the curtain ; but it rose in a moment , and there was the court after the awakening : the `` King '' and `` Queen '' looking about them with sleepy dignity , the maids in various attitudes of surprise , the fool grinning from ear to ear , and the `` Princess '' holding out her hand to the `` Prince , '' as if glad to welcome the right lover when he came at last . Molly got the laugh this time , for she could not resist giving poor Boo the cuff which had been hanging over him so long . She gave it with unconscious energy , and Boo cried `` Ow ! '' so naturally that all the children were delighted and wanted it repeated . But Boo declined , and the scenes which followed were found quite as much to their taste , having been expressly prepared for the little people . Mother Goose 's Reception was really very funny , for Ralph was the old lady , and had hired a representation of the immortal bird from a real theatre for this occasion . There they stood , the dame in her pointed hat , red petticoat , cap , and cane , with the noble fowl , a good deal larger than life , beside her , and Grif inside , enjoying himself immensely as he flapped the wings , moved the yellow legs , and waved the long neck about , while unearthly quacks issued from the bill . That was a great surprise for the children , and they got up in their seats to gaze their fill , many of them firmly believing that they actually beheld the blessed old woman who wrote the nursery songs they loved so well . Then in came , one after another , the best of the characters she has made famous , while a voice behind the scenes sang the proper rhyme as each made their manners to the interesting pair . `` Mistress Mary , '' and her `` pretty maids all in a row , '' passed by to their places in the background ; `` King Cole '' and his `` fiddlers three '' made a goodly show ; so did the royal couple , who followed the great pie borne before them , with the `` four-and-twenty blackbirds '' popping their heads out in the most delightful way . Little `` Bo-Peep '' led a woolly lamb and wept over its lost tail , for not a sign of one appeared on the poor thing . `` Simple Simon '' followed the pie-man , gloating over his wares with the drollest antics . The little wife came trundling by in a wheelbarrow and was not upset ; neither was the lady with `` rings on her fingers and bells on her toes , '' as she cantered along on a rocking-horse . `` Bobby Shafto 's '' yellow hair shone finely as he led in the maid whom he came back from sea to marry . `` Miss Muffet , '' bowl in hand , ran away from an immense black spider , which waggled its long legs in a way so life-like that some of the children shook in their little shoes . The beggars who came to town were out in full force , `` rags , tags , and velvet gowns , '' quite true to life . `` Boy Blue '' rubbed his eyes , with hay sticking in his hair , and tooted on a tin horn as if bound to get the cows out of the corn .
XXXXX , with a long-handled frying-pan , made a capital `` Queen , '' in a tucked-up gown , checked apron , and high crown , to good `` King Arthur , '' who , very properly , did not appear after stealing the barley-meal , which might be seen in the pan tied up in a pudding , like a cannon-ball , ready to fry .
Jill Molly Princess Ralph Shafto fiddlers petticoat pie-man rocking-horse years