r wears it looks beautiful in the
eyes of the world. I made poor Prince Bulbo, when he was christened, the
present of a rose which made him look handsome while he had it; but he
gave it to Angelica, who instantly looked beautiful again, whilst Bulbo
relapsed into his natural plainness."

"Rosalba needs no ring, I am sure," says Giglio, with a low bow. "She is
beautiful enough, in my eyes, without any enchanted aid."

"Oh, sir!" said Rosalba.

"Take off the ring and try," said the King, and resolutely drew the ring
off her finger. In HIS eyes she looked just as handsome as before!

The King was thinking of throwing the ring away, as it was so dangerous
and made all the people so mad about Rosalba; but being a Prince of
great humor, and good humor too, he cast eyes upon a poor youth who
happened to be looking on very disconsolately, and said--

"Bulbo, my poor lad! come and try on this ring. The Princess Rosalba
makes it a present to you." The magic properties of this ring were
uncommonly strong, for no sooner had Bulbo put it on, but lo and behold,
he appeared a personable, agreeable young Prince enough--with a fine
complexion, fair hair, rather stout, and with bandy legs; but these were
encased in such a beautiful pair of yellow morocco boots that nobody
remarked them. And Bulbo's spirits rose up almost immediately after he
had looked in the glass, and he talked to their Majesties in the most
lively, agreeable manner, and danced opposite the Queen with one of the
prettiest maids of honor, and after looking at her Majesty, could
not help saying, "How very odd! she is very pretty, but not so
EXTRAORDINARILY handsome." "Oh no, by no means!" says the Maid of Honor.

"But what care I, dear sir," says the Queen, who overheard them, "if YOU
think I am good-looking enough?"

His Majesty's glance in reply to this affectionate speech was such that
no painter could draw it. And the Fairy Blackstick said, "Bless you, my
darling children! Now you are united and happy; and now you see what I
said from the first, that a little misfortune has done you both good.
YOU, Giglio, had you been bred in prosperity, would scarcely have
learned to read or write--you would have been idle and extravagant, and
could not have been a good King as now you will be. You, Rosalba, would
have been so flattered, that your little head might have been turned
like Angelica's, who thought herself too good for Giglio."

"As if anybody could be good enou