Short Stories » Princess Rosetta - Page 7 of 9

Meanwhile, the king and his brother, who were prisoners, and knew that it was about the time for their sister to arrive, had put on their finest clothes to receive her. Instead, however, of seeing their prison door opened and themselves set at liberty, as they expected, the jailor came with soldiers, and made them descend into a dark dungeon, full of noxious reptiles, where they were up to their necks in water. No one could be more surprised or sorrowful than they were. "Alas!" said they to each other, " this is a sorrowful wedding for us ! what can have been the cause of such a sad misfortune ?" They did not know what to think, excepting that they were doomed to death.

They passed three days in this miserable plight. At the end of that time, the King of the Peacocks came to an opening that was in the wall, to abuse them. " You have called yourselves king and prince” said he, " to entrap me into a marriage with your sister ; but you are wretches who are not worth the water you drink. I am about to give you judges who will soon decide your fate ; and the rope is twisting with which I will have you hanged." " King of the Peacocks," said our king, filled with indignation, " do not proceed so rashly in this affair, for you may yet repent it. I am, like you, a king, and have a fine kingdom, robes and crowns, and plenty of money ; you seem to think very lightly of hanging us ; have we stolen any thing ?"

When the king heard him speak so resolutely, he knew not what to make of it, and had some thoughts of sparing their lives, and of letting them go with their sister ; but his trusty friend, who was a real parasite, encouraged him ; saying that if he did not revenge himself, all the world would laugh at him, and think him a weak prince indeed. So he swore that he would not forgive them, and ordered their trial to proceed. It did not last long, as to condemn them it was merely necessary to com- pare the portrait of the real princess Rosetta, with the person assuming the name. They were therefore sentenced to be beheaded, for having told the king a lie, in promising to him in marriage a beautiful princess, and only giving him an ugly country girl.

This decree was read very formally to them in prison, when they protested that they had not told a lie, for that their sister was a princess, more beautiful than the day ; but that there was something passing which they could not comprehend. They demanded a respite of seven days, stating that in that time something might occur by which their innocence would be established. The King of the Peacocks, who was very angry, would hardly grant them this favour ; but at last he did so.

While all this was passing at the court, we must relate what happened to the poor princess Rosetta. We have stated that when it was daylight, she was very much surprised, as was Fretillon also, to find herself out at sea without a boat or any assistance. She cried so pitifully that all the fishes were sorry for her: she knew not what to do or what would become of her. " Certainly," said she " the King of the Peacocks has ordered me to be thrown into the sea ; he has repented his design of marrying me, and to get rid of me decently, he would have me drowned. What a silly man !" continued she, "I should have loved him so well ! we should have managed so nicely." Then she cried still more, for she could not help loving him.

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Princess Rosetta - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

Always believe in yourself and your abilities, just like Princess Rosetta did.

Princess Rosetta - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

Always treat others with kindness and fairness, as Princess Rosetta learned that true friendship and happiness come from being considerate to everyone around her.

Princess Rosetta - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

No matter how challenging situations get, kindness and perseverance can lead to positive outcomes, just like Princess Rosetta's journey.

3 Fun Facts

• Princess Rosetta discovered a magical flower that could cure any illness.
• The princess had a friendly pet dragon named Sparky, who was both playful and protective.
• Rosetta's kindness and bravery helped her win the hearts of every creature in the magical forest.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What is the name of the kind and beautiful princess in the story?
• Who helped Princess Rosetta along her journey?
• What special gift did Princess Rosetta use to help her kingdom?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• What challenge did Princess Rosetta face in order to marry Prince Charming?
• How did Rosetta's kind heart help her during the challenges she faced?
• What lesson does the story of Princess Rosetta teach about the importance of being true to oneself?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• What character trait helped Princess Rosetta endure her challenges and eventually made her successful in her mission?
• How did Princess Rosetta manage to find her way through the dark and mysterious forest?
• What significant change occurred in the kingdom as a result of Princess Rosetta's actions?