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The Rose and the Ring

by William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863)

  • Free to read
  • 2 hours to read
  • 20 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"The Rose and the Ring" by William Makepeace Thackeray is a satirical fantasy written in 1854. In the fictional kingdoms of Paflagonia and Crim Tartary, four royal cousins find their fates entwined with two magical gifts from the Fairy Blackstick—a ring and a rose that make their wearers irresistibly beautiful. As stolen thrones, mistaken identities, and enchanted love complicate courtly life, princes and princesses must navigate deception, exile, and even a den of lions before discovering their true destinies.

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  • Fairy tales
  • Children's stories

Read the opening

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.

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Contents

  1. Front Matter
  2. I. Shows How the Royal Family Sate Down to Breakfast
  3. II. How King Valoroso Got the Crown, and Prince Giglio Went Without
  4. III. Tells Who the Fairy Blackstick Was, and Who Were Ever So Many Grand: Personages Besides
  5. IV. How Blackstick Was Not Asked to the Princess Angelica’s Christening
  6. V. How Princess Angelica Took a Little Maid
  7. VI. How Prince Giglio Behaved Himself
  8. VII. How Giglio and Angelica Had a Quarrel
  9. VIII. How Gruffanuff Picked the Fairy Ring Up, and Prince Bulbo Came to: Court
  10. IX. How Betsinda Got the Warming Pan
  11. X. How King Valoroso Was in a Dreadful Passion
  12. XI. What Gruffanuff Did to Giglio and Betsinda
  13. XII. How Betsinda Fled, and What Became of Her
  14. XIII. How Queen Rosalba Came to the Castle of the Bold Count Hogginarmo
  15. XIV. What Became of Giglio
  16. XV. We Return to Rosalba
  17. XVI. How Hedzoff Rode Back Again to King Giglio
  18. XVII. How a Tremendous Battle Took Place, and Who Won It
  19. XVIII. How They All Journeyed Back to the Capital
  20. XIX. And Now We Come to the Last Scene in the Pantomime

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About this edition

This free edition of The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #897, released 2006-02-05. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Science-Fiction & Fantasy, Humour, Novels, British Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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