th him to cut out the
poor ladies' tongues, put out their eyes, or even throw them into the
sea. The least pretext sufficed for this; and the queen, who was of a
kind disposition, lamented that yet another victim was preparing. The
courtiers begged her to be tranquil; said it was nothing more than the
daughter of a poor woodcutter whom his majesty now admired, and that
if he did kill her, it would be of little consequence.

But the courtiers, and the queen dowager herself, were altogether
bewildered when the king, having liberated the woodcutter and his
family, brought Rose to the palace as his wife. She was not at all
abashed or out of countenance; she behaved with the utmost respect to
the queen, and with affability to all. It was universally remarked:
"The king has committed a folly, but that charming girl is his excuse,
and no man would have been wiser under similar circumstances."

A grand ball was given in the evening. Rose danced well enough for a
queen; and she yielded herself up entirely to the enchantment of such
a happy day. The prince, ever eager to be near her, was figuring away
in a quadrille, when twelve o'clock struck: great, then, was his
astonishment, while gazing passionately on his partner, he beheld--a
negress!

"What metamorphosis is this?" cried he, rudely seizing her arm; "where
is the princess I married to-day?"

Rose bent her head in confusion; it still bore her diamonds, and her
crown,--no doubt could exist of her identity.

"Wretched, hideous black, thou shalt surely die!" cried the king;
"none shall deceive me with impunity." He then drew a poniard, and was
preparing to take instant vengeance, when, recollecting himself--"I do
thee too much honour," said he; "rather let my cooks cut thee in
pieces to make a hash for my hounds."

The old queen, as humane as her son was cruel, knew there was but one
means of saving the unfortunate victim; this was to appear still more
enraged than the king.

"I truly feel this injury," said she; "some times you have reproached
my weakness, but now behold a proof that I also can avenge. Your
orders must be strictly fulfilled--I myself shall witness the
execution." She then signed to the guards to lay hold of the
unfortunate Rose, who was dragged away by an iron chain fastened round
her neck. She gave herself up for lost, and uttering the most
heart-rending cries, was led away to a pigeon-house at the end of the
palace, furnished with some clean straw,