Rosanella

Rosanella 1

Everybody knows that though the fairies live hundreds of years they do sometimes die, and especially as they pass one day in every week under the form of some animal, when of course they are liable to accident. It was in this way that death once overtook the queen of the fairies, and it became necessary to elect a new sovereign. After much discussion, it appeared that the choice lay between two fairies, one called Surcantine and the other Paridamie, and their claims were si eqal that it was impossible to choose one over the other.

In the end, the fairy court decided that whichever of the two could show to the world the greatest wonder should be queen, but it was to be a special kind of wonder, no moving of mountains or any such common fairy tricks would do. Surcantine, therefore, decided that she would bring up a prince whom nothing could make faithful and constant to one love. While Paridamie decided to display to admiring mortals a princess so charming that no one could see her without falling in love with her.

They were allowed to take their own time, and meanwhile the four oldest fairies were to attend to the affairs of the kingdom.

Now Paridamie had for a long time been very friendly with King Bardondon, who was a most noble monarch, and whose court was the model of what a court should be. His queen, Balanice, was also charming — indeed it is rare to find a husband and wife di perfectly of one mind about everything.

They had one little daughter, whom they had named 'Rosanella', because she had pink rose birthmark upon her throat.

One the night following the assembly of fairies, Queen Balanice woke up with a shriek. and when her maids of honour ran to see what was the matter, they found she had a frightful dream.

"I thought," said she, "That my little daughter had changed into a bouquet of rose, and that as I held it in my hand a bird swooped down suddenly and snatched it from me and carried away."

The queen would not be comforted, and sent her maids to see that all was well with the princess. So they ran, but they found the cradle empty. Thought they sought high and low, not a trace of Rosanella could they find. The queen was beside herself with grief, and so, indeed, was the king, only being a man he did not say quite so much about his feelings.

He presently suggested to Balanice that they should spend a few days at one of their places in the country, and she agreed, since in her sorrow she no longer enjoyed the pleasures of town. One summer evening, as they sat together on a shady lawn shaped like a star, from which radiated twelve splendid avenues of trees, the queen looked round and saw a charming pleasant girl approaching by each path, and that each girl carried something in a basket with the greatest care. As each girl drew near she laid her basket at Balanice's feet, saying, "Charming queen, may this be some slight comfort to you in your happiness!"