University of Virginia Library

A CHARACTERISTIC CAST OF THE CACHINATORY CHARACTERS.

    Evil Spirits:—

    The Demon Miasma (an awfully bad lot, though a Fiend of common scents),

  • Mr. Henry Thompson;
  • Ague and Malaria (his offensive offspring),

  • Misses Villiers and Kate Blandford;
  • Satana (a supernatural preternatural, and altogether utterly unnatural Mephistophelian personage—in league with Miasma),

  • Miss Goodall.
  • Demonio (not the Bel of that name, but a Metallic Monster—the dumb familiar of Miasma, who hasn't a word to say for himself, so is by no means vulgar),

  • M. Espinosa.

    Good Spirits:—

    The Spirit of Fresh Air (a beneficent Fairy—the Guardian Spirit of Dicky-Birds in general, and Cock-Robin in particular, Jenny Wren's lively friend, and Miasma's deadly foe),

  • Miss Minnie Sydney.
  • Health and Happiness (her attendant Spirits—Godmothers of Cock-Robin and Jenny Wren),

  • Misses Nellie Burton and Lizzie Grosvenor;
  • Fairies Oak, Willow, and Fir (her three Fairy Subordinates, who are rooted to one spot, but are never in want of change, as they always have a little Sylva about them),

  • Misses Mabel Gray, Whitmore, and Page;
  • Fairy Cook, Fairy Butler, and Fairy Fortune (Low menials who provide for Cock Robin's Hy-meneals—with her wheel but without her woe),

  • Misses Flowers, De Nevers, and Roselle;
  • Fairy of the Fountain (The Spirit of the Water of Life, not to be confounded with the Spirit of Eau de Vie),

  • Miss O. Armstrong;
  • First Fairy,

  • Miss Laidlaw.

    Wicked Animals:—

    Cuckoo, Raven, and Sparrow (three conspicuous Conspirators, base to the back-bone, rejected lovers of Jenny Wren),

  • Masters Bird, Beaker, and Mr. J. Francis;
  • Great Bear, Middle-sized Bear, and Little Bear (afterwards changed into three baser Bar-bear-ians, and more rejected than ever by Jenny),

  • Mr. Templeton, Mr. Everard, and Master Grainger.

    Virtuous Animals:—

    Cock-Robin (the Bird who has been the burd-en of many a rhyme, the Cock that no one can be Robin of his fame, who's he-red-itary red breast can be recognized by hen-nybody),

  • Miss Caroline Parkes;
  • Jenny Wren (the little Wren who has ren-dered up her liberty to the Dicky-Bird of her heart, and nearly breaks it when he hops the twig),

  • Miss Furtado.

    Descriptive Description of Dicky-Birds:—

    Messrs. Twit, Twitter and Twutter, Flit, Flitter, Fly and Flutter, Hop, Pop, Crop, Pick, Peck, Tweet, Sweet, Dick, Chick, Beak, Tweak, Chip, Chow, Bill and Coo, Chatter and Chirrup, &c.

    Mortals:—

    Little Man,

  • Miss Caroline Parkes;
  • Little Maid,

  • Miss Furtado;
  • Gaffer Gray (Little Maid's Pa),

  • Mr. Marshall;
  • Gammer Gray (Little Maid's Ma),

  • Mr. Marshall;
  • Laundry-Women,

  • Mesdames Suds, Soda, and Starch.

    Mammoth Monsters:—

    The Giant Herlotrobosanguinardodiotso,

  • Mr. John Craddock;
  • The Giant's Footman, Lengthylankyshankylongo,

  • Mr. Tallboy;
  • the Giant Wittleemgobbleem,

  • Mr. Wolfem;
  • the Giant Clubemdrubem,

  • Mr. Gogmagog;
  • the Giant Feedy Greedy,

  • Mr. Hungryman:
  • the Giant Savagusravenous,

  • Mr. Chopemup;
  • the Giant Gorgeumsplorgum,

  • Mr. Longswallow;
  • the Giant Swearemtearem,

  • Mr. Wickedword.
  • Other Personalities by Legions of Useful Utilities and Superior Supernumeraries.