III.
So down the long staircase they hopped in a minute;
The Sugar-tongs snapped, and the Crackers said "Crack!" The stable was open; the horses were in it:
Each took out a pony, and jumped on his back. The Cat in a fright scrambled out of the doorway;
The Mice tumbled out of a bundle of hay; The brown and white Rats, and the black ones from Norway,
Screamed out, "They are taking the horses away!"
IV.
The whole of the household was filled with amazement:
The Cups and the Saucers danced madly about; The Plates and the Dishes looked out of the casement;
The Salt-cellar stood on his head with a shout; The Spoons, with a clatter, looked out of the lattice;
The Mustard-pot climbed up the gooseberry-pies; The Soup-ladle peeped through a heap of veal-patties,
And squeaked with a ladle-like scream of surprise.
V.
The Frying-pan said, "It's an awful delusion!"
The Tea-kettle hissed, and grew black in the face; And they all rushed downstairs in the wildest confusion
To see the great Nutcracker-Sugar-tong race. And out of the stable, with screamings and laughter
(Their ponies were cream-colored, speckled with brown), The Nutcrackers first, and the Sugar-tongs after;
Rode all round the yard, and then all round the town.
VI.
They rode through the street, and they rode by the station;
They galloped away to the beautiful shore; In silence they rode, and "made no observation,"
Save this: "We will never go back any more!" And still you might hear, till they rode out of hearing,
The Sugar-tongs snap, and the Crackers say "Crack!" Till, far in the distance their forms disappearing,
They faded away; and they never came back!