Characters
The Remarkable Rocket
Vanity on a stick
A tall, supercilious firework tied to a long stick, who coughs before every remark to attract attention and always looks over his listener's shoulder. He believes the royal wedding is held in his honour, is proud of his celebrated parents and his own sensitive nature, and weeps himself too damp to go off. Thrown into a ditch, then burned on two boys' fire, he explodes unnoticed and dies still sure of his success.
The Roman Candle
Plain common sense
A big firework who corrects the little Squib and tells the Catherine Wheel that Romance never dies. He punctures the Rocket's claims again and again: he defines a sensitive person as one who treads on other people's toes because he has corns himself, points out that the Rocket does not even know the Prince, and advises him to keep himself dry. He and the Bengal Light dismiss the Rocket's tears as humbug.
The Catherine Wheel
The romantic sufferer
A pensive firework who was attached to an old deal box in early life and prides herself on her broken heart. She keeps murmuring that Romance is dead, as though saying a thing often enough makes it true, and falls asleep during the Rocket's speech. She admires his tears as the sign of a truly romantic nature. At midnight she spins round and round with a whizz.
The Bengal Light
The small bully
A firework who corrects the Rocket's 'Pylotechnic' because he has seen the right word written on his own canister. Crushed by the Rocket's severe reply, he bullies the little squibs to show he is still a person of some importance. He recovers enough to agree that the Rocket should keep dry, and delivers the best retort of the evening: the Rocket is the most affected person he ever met.
The Cracker
The would-be politician
A firework who has taken a prominent part in local elections and so knows the proper Parliamentary expressions, calling 'Order! order!' when the Rocket wants silence. He nearly explodes with laughter at the Roman Candle's joke about sensitive people, and the Rocket scolds him for laughing simply because he is happy. At midnight the Crackers go off with a bang, enjoying themselves immensely.
The King
The flattered monarch
The bridegroom's father, who plays the flute very badly and knows only two tunes, but is always told 'Charming! charming!' because no one dares to say otherwise. He doubles the Page's non-existent salary twice, answers questions addressed to other people, and prefers fireworks to stars because you always know when they are going to appear. He orders the display for the Princess, who has never seen a firework.
The Prince and the Princess
The royal lovers
The King's son, with dreamy violet eyes and hair like fine gold, and his pale Russian bride, who drives from Finland in a sledge shaped like a golden swan. They love each other so truly that they can drink from the crystal cup that grows grey and cloudy at the touch of false lips. They lead the dance at the ball, and the Princess laughs with pleasure at the fireworks.
The little Page
The rewarded wit
A young courtier who remarks that the pale Princess, blushing, has changed from a white rose into a red rose, and later that the royal couple's love is as clear as crystal. Each time the King doubles his salary. This is not much use to him, since he receives no salary at all, but it is considered a great honour and published in the Court Gazette.
The Frog
Talker, not listener
A little Frog with bright jewelled eyes and a green mottled coat who welcomes the Rocket to the ditch. He loves mud and rain, is proud of his glee-club's croaking, which keeps the farmer's wife awake, and worries that the Pike will breakfast on his six daughters. He talks the whole time, explaining that it saves time and prevents arguments, and swims off before the Rocket can get a word in.
The White Duck
Practical good nature
A large White Duck, admired as a beauty on account of her waddle, who asks the Rocket whether he was born that shape. She sees no use in flying up in a shower of golden rain when he cannot plough or pull a cart. Once she chaired a meeting that condemned everything it did not like; now she goes in for domesticity. Peaceable by nature, she swims away when she feels hungry.
The two little boys
The indifferent audience
Two boys in white smocks who come down to the ditch with a kettle and some faggots. One picks the Rocket up as an old stick, and the other suggests putting it on the fire to help boil the kettle. They lie down on the grass and fall asleep, so that when the Rocket at last goes off, they neither see nor hear him.