called thus they
could not tell, as there was nothing whatever about eggs in it, and so
far from being a play of peace, it was made up of a series of battles
between certain valiant knights and princes, of whom St. George of
England was the chief and conqueror. The rehearsal being over, Robin
went with the boys to the sexton's house (he was father to the "King
of Egypt"), where they showed him the dresses they were to wear. These
were made of gay-coloured materials, and covered with ribbons, except
that of the "Black Prince of Paradine," which was black, as became his
title. The boys also showed him the book from which they learned their
parts, and which was to be bought for one penny at the post-office
shop.

"Then are you the mummers who come round at Christmas, and act in
people's kitchens, and people give them money, that Mamma used to tell
us about?" said Robin.

St. George of England looked at his companions as if for counsel as to
how far they might commit themselves, and then replied, with Yorkshire
caution, "Well, I suppose we are."

"And do you go out in the snow from one house to another at night? and
oh, don't you enjoy it?" cried Robin.

"We like it well enough," St. George admitted.

Robin bought a copy of "The Peace Egg." He was resolved to have a
nursery performance, and to act the part of St. George himself. The
others were willing for what he wished, but there were difficulties.
In the first place, there are eight characters in the play, and there
were only five children. They decided among themselves to leave out
the "Fool," and Mamma said that another character was not to be acted
by any of them, or indeed mentioned; "the little one who comes in at
the end," Robin explained. Mamma had her reasons, and these were
always good. She had not been altogether pleased that Robin had bought
the play. It was a very old thing, she said, and very queer; not
adapted for a child's play. If Mamma thought the parts not quite fit
for the children to learn, they found them much too long; so in the
end she picked out some bits for each, which they learned easily, and
which, with a good deal of fighting, made quite as good a story of it
as if they had done the whole. What may have been wanting otherwise
was made up for by the dresses, which were charming.

Robin was St. George, Nicholas the Valiant Slasher, Dora the Doctor,
and the other two Hector and the King of Egypt. "And now we've no
Black Prince!" cried Ro