The Rose and the Ring

by William Makepeace Thackeray
PRELUDE

It happened that the undersigned spent the last Christmas season
in a foreign city where there were many English children.

In that city, if you wanted to give a child's party, you could
not even get a magic-lantern or buy Twelfth-Night

characters--those funny painted pictures of the King, the Queen,
the Lover, the Lady, the Dandy, the Captain, and so on-- with

which our young ones are wont to recreate themselves at this
festive time.

My friend Miss Bunch, who was governess of a large family that
lived in the Piano Nobile of the house inhabited by myself and my

young charges (it was the Palazzo Poniatowski at Rome, and
Messrs. Spillmann, two of the best pastrycooks in Christendom,

have their shop on the ground floor): Miss Bunch, I say, begged
me to draw a set of Twelfth-Night characters for the amusement of

our young people.
She is a lady of great fancy and droll imagination, and having

looked at the characters, she and I composed a history about
them, which was recited to the little folks at night, and served

as our FIRESIDE PANTOMIME.
Our juvenileaudience was amused by the adventures of Giglio and

Bulbo, Rosalba and Angelica. I am bound to say the fate of the
Hall Porter created a considerablesensation; and the wrath of

Countess Gruffanuff was received with extreme pleasure.
If these children are pleased, thought I, why should not others

be amused also? In a few days Dr. Birch's young friends will be
expected to reassemble at Rodwell Regis, where they will learn

everything that is useful, and under the eyes of careful ushers
continue the business of their little lives.

But, in the meanwhile, and for a brief holiday, let us laugh and
be as pleasant as we can. And you elder folk--a little joking,

and dancing, and fooling will do even you no harm. The author
wishes you a merry Christmas, and welcomes you to the Fireside

Pantomime.
W. M. THACKERAY. December 1854.

CONTENTS
I. SHOWS HOW THE ROYAL FAMILY SATE DOWN TO BREAKFAST

II. HOW KING VALOROSO GOT THE CROWN, AND PRINCE GIGLIO WENT
WITHOUT

III. TELLS WHO THE FAIRY BLACKSTICK WAS, AND WHO WERE EVER SO
MANY GRAND PERSONAGES BESIDES

IV. HOW BLACKSTICK WAS NOT ASKED TO THE PRINCESS ANGELICA'S
CHRISTENING

V. HOW PRINCESS ANGELICA TOOK A LITTLE MAID
VI. HOW PRINCE GIGLIO BEHAVED HIMSELF

VII. HOW GIGLIO AND ANGELICA HAD A QUARREL
VIII. HOW GRUFFANUFF PICKED THE FAIRY RING UP, AND PRINCE BULBO

CAME TO COURT
IX. HOW BETSINDA GOT THE WARMING-PAN

X. HOW KING VALOROSO WAS IN A DREADFUL PASSION
XI. WHAT GRUFFANUFF DID TO GIGLIO AND BETSINDA

XII. HOW BETSINDA FLED, AND WHAT BECAME OF HER
XIII. HOW QUEEN ROSALBA CAME TO THE CASTLE OF THE BOLD COUNT

HOGGINARMO
XIV. WHAT BECAME OF GIGLIO

XV. WE RETURN TO ROSALBA
XVI. HOW HEDZOFF RODE BACK AGAIN TO KING GIGLIO

XVII. HOW A TREMENDOUS BATTLE TOOK PLACE, AND WHO WON IT
XVIII. HOW THEY ALL JOURNEYED BACK TO THE CAPITAL

XIX. AND NOW WE COME TO THE LAST SCENE IN THE PANTOMIME
THE ROSE AND THE RING

I. SHOWS HOW THE ROYAL FAMILY SATE DOWN TO BREAKFAST
This is Valoroso XXIV., King of Paflagonia, seated with his Queen

and only child at their royal breakfast-table, and receiving the
letter which announces to His Majesty a proposed visit from

Prince Bulbo, heir of Padella, reigning King of Crim Tartary.
Remark the delight upon the monarch's royal features. He is so

absorbed in the perusal of the King of Crim Tartary's letter,
that he allows his eggs to get cold, and leaves his august

muffins untasted.
'What! that wicked, brave, delightful Prince Bulbo!' cries

Princess Angelica; 'so handsome, so accomplished, so witty--the
conqueror of Rimbombamento, where he slew ten thousand giants!'

'Who told you of him, my dear?' asks His Majesty.
'A little bird,' says Angelica.

'Poor Giglio!' says mamma, pouring out the tea.
'Bother Giglio!' cries Angelica, tossing up her head, which

rustled with a thousand curl-papers.
'I wish,' growls the King--'I wish Giglio was. . .'

'Was better? Yes, dear, he is better,' says the Queen.
'Angelica's little maid, Betsinda, told me so when she came to my

room this morning with my early tea.'
'You are always drinking tea,' said the monarch, with a scowl.

'It is better than drinking port or brandy and water;' replies
Her Majesty.

'Well, well, my dear, I only said you were fond of drinking tea,'
said the King of Paflagonia, with an effort as if to command his

temper. 'Angelica! I hope you have plenty of new dresses; your
milliners' bills are long enough. My dear Queen, you must see

and have some parties. I prefer dinners, but of course you will
be for balls. Your everlasting blue velvet quite tires me: and,

my love, I should like you to have a new necklace. Order one.
Not more than a hundred or a hundred and fifty thousand pounds.'

'And Giglio, dear?' says the Queen.
'GIGLIO MAY GO TO THE--'

'Oh, sir,' screams Her Majesty. 'Your own nephew! our late
King's only son.'

'Giglio may go to the tailor's, and order the bills to be sent in
to Glumboso to pay. Confound him! I mean bless his dear heart.

He need want for nothing; give him a couple of guineas for
pocket-money, my dear; and you may as well order yourself

bracelets while you are about the necklace, Mrs. V.'
Her Majesty, or MRS. V., as the monarch facetiously called her

(for even royalty will have its sport, and this august family
were very much attached), embraced her husband, and, twining her

arm round her daughter's waist, they quitted the breakfast-room
in order to make all things ready for the princely stranger.

When they were gone, the smile that had lighted up the eyes of
the HUSBAND and FATHER fled--the pride of the KING fled--the MAN

was alone. Had I the pen of a G. P. R. James, I would describe
Valoroso's torments in the choicest language; in which I would

also depict his flashing eye, his distended nostril--his
dressing-gown, pocket-handkerchief, and boots. But I need not

say I have NOT the pen of that novelist; suffice it to say,
Valoroso was alone.

He rushed to the cupboard, seizing from the table one of the many
egg-cups with which his princely board was served for the matin

meal, drew out a bottle of right Nantz or Cognac, filled and
emptied the cup several times, and laid it down with a hoarse

'Ha, ha, ha! now Valoroso is a man again!'
'But oh!' he went on (still sipping, I am sorry to say), 'ere I

was a king, I needed not this intoxicating draught; once I
detested the hot brandy wine, and quaffed no other fount but

nature's rill. It dashes not more quickly o'er the rocks than I
did, as, with blunderbuss in hand, I brushed away the early