The Remarkable Rocket

           TheKing’ssonwasgoingtobemarried,sothereweregeneralrejoicings.Hehadwaitedawholeyearforhisbride,andatlastshehadarrived.ShewasaRussianPrincess,andhaddrivenallthewayfromFinlandinasledgedrawnbysixreindeer.Thesledgewasshapedlikeagreatgoldenswan,andbetweentheswan’swingslaythelittlePrincessherself.Herlongerminecloakreachedrightdowntoherfeet,onherheadwasatinycapofsilvertissue,andshewasaspaleastheSnowPalaceinwhichshehadalwayslived.Sopalewasshethatasshedrovethroughthestreetsallthepeoplewondered."Sheislikeawhiterose!"theycried,andtheythrewdownflowersonherfromthebalconies.

           AtthegateoftheCastlethePrincewaswaitingtoreceiveher.Hehaddreamyvioleteyes,andhishairwaslikefinegold.Whenhesawherhesankupononeknee,andkissedherhand.

           "Yourpicturewasbeautiful,"hemurmured,"butyouaremorebeautifulthanyourpicture;"andthelittlePrincessblushed.

           "Shewaslikeawhiterosebefore,"saidayoungpagetohisneighbour,"butsheislikearedrosenow;"andthewholeCourtwasdelighted.

           Forthenextthreedayseverybodywentaboutsaying,"Whiterose,Redrose,Redrose,Whiterose;"andtheKinggaveordersthatthePage’ssalarywastobedoubled.Ashereceivednosalaryatallthiswasnotofmuchusetohim,butitwasconsideredagreathonour,andwasdulypublishedintheCourtGazette.

           Whenthethreedayswereoverthemarriagewascelebrated.