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 . 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 , XXXXX 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 .
blessed followed gave gaze having holding looking lost waved welcome