remarkable

THEREMARKABLEROCKET

TheKing'ssonwasgoingtobemarried,sothereweregeneral

aitedawholeyearforhisbride,andatlast

aRussianPrincess,andhaddrivenall

dge

wasshapedlikeagreatgoldenswan,andbetweentheswan'swings

germine-cloakreached

rightdowntoherfeet,onherheadwasatinycapofsilver

tissue,andshewasaspaleastheSnowPalaceinwhichshehad

wasshethatasshedrovethroughthe

streetsallthepeoplewondered."Sheislikeawhitero!"they

cried,andtheythrewdownflowersonherfromthebalconies.

AtthegateoftheCastlethePrincewaswaitingtoreceiveher.

Hehaddreamyvioleteyes,

hesawherhesankupononeknee,andkisdherhand.

"Yourpicturewasbeautiful,"hemurmured,"butyouaremore

beautifulthanyourpicture";andthelittlePrincessblushed.

"Shewaslikeawhiterobefore,"saidayoungPagetohis

neighbour,"butsheislikearedronow";andthewholeCourt

wasdelighted.

Forthenextthreedayverybodywentaboutsaying,"Whitero,

Redro,Redro,Whitero";andtheKinggaveordersthatthe

Page'ceivednosalaryatall

thiswasnotofmuchutohim,butitwasconsideredagreat

honour,andwasdulypublishedintheCourtGazette.

amagnificentceremony,andthebrideandbridegroomwalkedhandin

handunderacanopyofpurplevelvetembroideredwithlittle

erewasaStateBanquet,whichlastedforfive

nceandPrincesssatatthetopoftheGreatHall

ueloverscould

drinkoutofthiscup,foriffallipstouchedit,itgrewgrey

anddullandcloudy.

"It'squiteclearthattheyloveeachother,"saidthelittlePage,

"asclearascrystal!"andtheKingdoubledhissalaryacond

time."Whatanhonour!"criedallthecourtiers.

deandbridegroom

weretodancetheRo-dancetogether,andtheKinghadpromidto

edverybadly,butnoonehadeverdaredto

tellhimso,,heknewonlytwo

airs,andwasneverquitecertainwhichonehewasplaying;butit

madenomatter,for,whateverhedid,everybodycriedout,

"Charming!charming!"

Thelastitemontheprogrammewasagranddisplayoffireworks,to

tlePrincesshadneveren

afireworkinherlife,sotheKinghadgivenordersthattheRoyal

Pyrotechnistshouldbeinattendanceonthedayofhermarriage.

"Whatarefireworkslike?"shehadaskedthePrince,onemorning,

asshewaswalkingontheterrace.

"TheyareliketheAuroraBorealis,"saidtheKing,whoalways