PRELUDE
It happened that the undersigned spent the last Christmas season in a foreign city where there were many English children.
In that city, if you wanted to give a child’s party, you could not even get a magic-lantern or buy Twelfth-Night characters—those funny painted pictures of the King, the Queen, the Lover, the Lady, the Dandy, the Captain, and so on—with which our young ones are wont to recreate themselves at this festive time.
My friend Miss Bunch, who was governess of a large family that lived in the Piano Nobile of the house inhabited by myself and my young charges (it was the Palazzo Poniatowski at Rome, and Messrs. Spillmann, two of the best pastrycooks in Christendom, have their shop on the ground floor): Miss Bunch, I say, begged me to draw a set of Twelfth-Night characters for the amusement of our young people.
She is a lady of great fancy and droll imagination, and having looked at the characters, she and I composed a history about them, which was recited to the little folks at night, and served as our FIRESIDE PANTOMIME.
Our juvenile audience was amused by the adventures of Giglio and Bulbo, Rosalba and Angelica. I am bound to say the fate of the Hall Porter created a considerable sensation; and the wrath of Countess Gruffanuff was received with extreme pleasure.
If these children are pleased, thought I, why should not others be amused also? In a few days Dr. Birch’s young friends will be expected to reassemble at Rodwell Regis, where they will learn everything that is useful, and under the eyes of careful ushers continue the business of their little lives.
But, in the meanwhile, and for a brief holiday, let us laugh and be as pleasant as we can. And you elder folk—a little joking, and dancing, and fooling will do even you no harm. The author wishes you a merry Christmas, and welcomes you to the Fireside Pantomime.
W. M. THACKERAY. December 1854.
CONTENTS
[ PRELUDE ]
[ THE ROSE AND THE RING ]
[ I. ] SHOWS HOW THE ROYAL FAMILY SATE DOWN TO BREAKFAST
[ II. ] HOW KING VALOROSO GOT THE CROWN, AND PRINCE GIGLIO WENT WITHOUT
[ III. ] TELLS WHO THE FAIRY BLACKSTICK WAS
[ IV. ] HOW BLACKSTICK WAS NOT ASKED TO THE PRINCESS ANGELICA’S CHRISTENING
[ V. ] HOW PRINCESS ANGELICA TOOK A LITTLE MAID
[ VI. ] HOW PRINCE GIGLIO BEHAVED HIMSELF
[ VII. ] HOW GIGLIO AND ANGELICA HAD A QUARREL
[ VIII. ] HOW GRUFFANUFF PICKED THE FAIRY RING UP
[ IX. ] HOW BETSINDA GOT THE WARMING PAN
[ X. ] HOW KING VALOROSO WAS IN A DREADFUL PASSION
[ XI. ] WHAT GRUFFANUFF DID TO GIGLIO AND BETSINDA
[ XII. ] HOW BETSINDA FLED, AND WHAT BECAME OF HER
[ XIII. ] HOW QUEEN ROSALBA CAME TO THE CASTLE OF THE BOLD COUNT HOGGINARMO
[ XIV. ] WHAT BECAME OF GIGLIO
[ XV. ] WE RETURN TO ROSALBA
[ XVI. ] HOW HEDZOFF RODE BACK AGAIN TO KING GIGLIO
[ XVII. ] HOW A TREMENDOUS BATTLE TOOK PLACE, AND WHO WON IT
[ XVIII. ] HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL
[ XIX. ] AND NOW WE COME TO THE LAST SCENE IN THE PANTOMIME