wo cows, two good horses and the
necessaries of life for every day. He wished for nothing superfluous,
either in clothing or food and thus he preserved his thistle as long as
he lived. It is not known when they died. It is supposed that the Queen
of the Fairies made them immortal and transported them to her palace,
where they still are.

The Princess Rosette

HISTORY OF PRINCESS ROSETTE

THE FARM

There was once a king and queen, who had three daughters. The two eldest
were twins--Orangine and Roussette--and their parents loved them very
dearly. They were beautiful and intelligent, but they were not very
good. In this they resembled the king and queen. The third princess was
called Rosette and was three years younger than her sisters. She was as
amiable as she was handsome, as good as she was beautiful.

The fairy Puissante was Rosette's godmother and this made her two
sisters, Orangine and Roussette, very jealous. They were angry because
they also had not a fairy for their godmother.

Some days after the birth of Rosette, the king and queen sent her to the
country, on a farm, to be nursed. Rosette lived happily here for fifteen
years without her parents coming once to see her. Every year they sent a
small sum of money to the farmer to pay Rosette's expenses and asked
some questions as to her health, but they never came to see her nor
disturbed themselves about her education.

Rosette would indeed have been very rude and ignorant if her good
godmother, the fairy Puissante, had not sent her teachers and all that
was necessary. In this way Rosette learned to read, to write, to keep
accounts and to work beautifully. She became an accomplished musician,
she knew how to draw and spoke several languages.

Rosette was the most beautiful, the most attractive, the most amiable
and the most excellent princess in the whole world. She had never
disobeyed her nurse or godmother, and had therefore never been reproved.
She did not regret her father and mother, as she did not know them and
she did not desire any other home than the farm where she had been so
happy.

One day when Rosette was seated on a bench before the door, she saw a
man arrive in a laced hat and coat; he approached her and asked if he
could speak to the princess Rosette.

"Yes, without doubt," answered the princess; "I am the princess
Rosette."

[Illustration: _She saw a man arrive in a laced hat and coat_]

"Then, princess," said the