or you;" and he lifted
up the napkin over the basket, and was trying to break a hole in the
pie-crust, when Mother Goose came in, and seeing him, said, "Here, here,
Master Jack! keep your fingers out of the pie. I never saw such a boy.
He sticks his thumb into everything, from Christmas pies to inkstands."

"Oh, Mother Goose, do let us start!" shouted the children.

"Yes, yes, my dears, very soon. We are only waiting for Contrary Mary. I
have sent Nimble Dick for her; and here they come now."

Sure enough, there was heard a jingling of bells, and in danced Mary,
quite contrary, with her fingers covered with rings, and her apron
filled with flowers from her garden, with which to make a wreath for the
May-Queen.

And now they all started, walking two and two, with Mother Goose at the
head, holding the youngest scholar, Baby Bunting, tight by the hand, for
fear he should fall down and tear his new rabbit-skin overcoat, while
Tom, the Piper's son, played "Over the hills and far away" on his pipe,
and all the little folks danced and skipped along to the gay tune.

When they reached the pleasant wood, they were all glad to sit down on
the green moss and rest awhile; and Mother Goose said, "The first thing
is to choose a May-Queen: now who shall it be?"

"Goldilocks!" "Goldilocks!" shouted the children, for they all loved the
dear little girl with pretty hair and sweet blue eyes.

"Oh, no, no!" said Goldilocks, and she hid behind Tommy Tucker.

But they made her come out and sit on a throne formed of Miss Muffet's
tuffet, scattered over with wild violets and May-flowers, which grew all
around; and Contrary Mary put a beautiful crown of "roses and lilies and
daffadown-dillies" on her golden curls, and she looked just the dearest
little May-Queen in all the world.

Then all the children joined hands, and danced round the throne,
singing,

"Hail to the Queen of May
On this our festal day!
Gay flowers we'll bring,
Sweet blossoms of spring,
To crown our Queen of May."

The little Queen then gave each one a flower, and let them kneel and
kiss her tiny white hand; and then they scattered through the woods, and
played "Oats, peas, beans," tag, and other games, until Little Boy Blue
blew a blast on his horn, which meant "Come to dinner"; and when they
all came running back at the call, they found Mother Goose had a
table-cloth spread on the grass, and all the biscuits, cake, and fruit
from their baskets set out