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 . Molly , 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 . But Tobias , Molly 's black cat , covered himself with glory by the spirit with which he acted his part in , `` Sing , sing , what shall I sing ? The cat 's run away with the pudding-bag string . '' First he was led across the stage on his hind legs , looking very fierce and indignant , with a long tape trailing behind him ; and , being set free at the proper moment , he gave one bound over the four-and-twenty blackbirds who happened to be in the way , and dashed off as if an enraged cook had actually been after him , straight downstairs to the coal-bin , where he sat glaring in the dark , till the fun was over . When all the characters had filed in and stood in two long rows , music struck up and they danced , `` All the way to Boston , '' a simple but lively affair , which gave each a chance to show his or her costume as they pranced down the middle and up outside . Such a funny medley as it was , for there went fat `` King Cole '' with the most ragged of the beggar-maids . `` Mistress Mary , '' in her pretty blue dress , tripped along with `` Simple Simon '' staring about him like a blockhead . The fine lady left her horse to dance with `` Bobby Shafto '' till every bell on her slippers tinkled its tongue out . `` Bo-Peep '' and a jolly fiddler skipped gayly up and down . `` Miss Muffet '' took the big spider for her partner , and made his many legs fly about in the wildest way .
The little wife got out of the XXXXX to help `` Boy Blue '' along , and Molly , with the frying-pan over her shoulder , led off splendidly when it was `` Grand right and left . ''
Arthur Boston beggar-maids cannon-ball coal-bin fiddlers left pudding rocking-horse wheelbarrow