But nothing could disguise the fact that she was
an ugly little fright. Her hair was black and greasy, she was cross-eyed
and bow-legged, and in the middle of her back she had a big hump. Moreover she was ill-tempered and sulky, and was for ever grumbling. [Illustration: '_She was an ugly little fright_']

When the people of Peacock Land saw her disembark they were so
completely taken aback that none could say a word. 'What's the matter with you all?' she demanded; 'have you all gone to
sleep? Bring me something to eat at once, do you hear? I'll have the
lot of you hanged, precious riff-raff that you are!' 'What a horrible creature!' murmured the citizens amongst themselves,
when they heard these threats; 'as ill-tempered as she is ugly! A nice
bride for our king, or I am much mistaken! It was hardly worth the
trouble to bring her all the way across the world.' The girl meantime
continued to behave in most domineering fashion, giving slaps and blows
to every one without the slightest provocation. The procession, being very large, was obliged to move slowly, and as the
carriage bore her along she comported herself as though she were a
queen. But all the peacocks, who had perched upon the trees to greet her
as she passed, and had arranged to call out 'Long live the beautiful
Queen Rosette!' cried out when they saw how horrible she was: 'Fie! fie! how ugly she is!' This enraged her, and she called out to her escort:
'Kill those impudent peacocks: they are insulting me!' But the peacocks
flew nimbly away, and laughed at her. The rascally boatman was witness of all that occurred, and whispered to
the nurse: 'Things are not going well for us, my good woman: your
daughter should have been prettier.' 'Hold your tongue, stupid!' she replied; 'or you will get us into
trouble.' Word was brought to the king that the princess was approaching. 'Well,'
said he; 'did her brothers speak the truth? Is she more beautiful than
her portrait?' 'Sire,' said the courtiers, 'if she is only as beautiful, that should be
enough.' 'Very true!' exclaimed the king. 'I shall be content with that. Let us
go and see her.' He could tell from the din which arose from the courtyard that the
princess had arrived, but the only words he could hear plainly amidst
the hubbub were cries of 'Fie! fie! how ugly she is!' He supposed people
must be referring to some dwarf or pet creature which she had perhaps
brought with her, for it never entered his head that it could be the
princess herself who was meant. The portrait of Rosette, uncovered, was hoisted on the end of a long
pole, and carried in front of the king, who walked in state with his
barons and peacocks, and the ambassadors from neighbouring kingdoms in
his train. Great was the impatience of the King of the Peacocks to
behold his dear Rosette; but when at length he did set eyes on
her--gracious heavens, it was a wonder the shock did not kill him on the
spot! He flew into a most terrible rage, rending his clothes, and
refusing to go near her. Indeed, she frightened him. 'What!' he cried; 'have those two dastardly prisoners the impudence to
mock me thus, and propose that I should wed such a loathsome creature as
that? They shall die for it! Away with that hussy and her nurse, and the
fellow who brought them here; cast them into the dungeon of my keep!' Now the king and his brother, who had heard in prison that their sister
was expected, had attired themselves handsomely to receive her. But
instead of the prison being opened and their liberty restored, as they
had anticipated, there came the gaoler with a squad of soldiers, and
made them descend into a black dungeon, swarming with vile creatures,
where the water was up to their necks. Never were two people more
astounded or more distressed. 'Alas!' they cried to each other; 'this is
a doleful wedding feast for us! What has brought this unhappy fate upon
us?' They did not know what in the world to think, except that it was
desired to compass their death, and this reflection filled them with
melancholy. Three days passed and they heard not a word of anything. At the end of
the third day the King of the Peacocks came and hurled insults at them
through a hole in the wall. 'You called yourselves King and Prince to trap me,' he shouted to them,
'and sought thus to make me promise to wed your sister. But you are
nought but a couple of beggars, not worth the water you drink. You shall
be sent for trial, and the judges will make short work of your case--the
rope to hang you with is being plaited already!' 'Not so fast, King of the Peacocks,' replied the captive monarch,
angrily, 'or you will have cause to repent it! I am a king like
yourself: I rule over a fair land, I have robes and crowns and treasure
in plenty. I pledge my all to the truth of what I say. You must be
joking to talk of hanging us--of what have we robbed you?' The King of the Peacocks hardly knew what to make of this bold and
confident challenge. He was almost of a mind to spare their lives and
let them take their sister away. But his Chancellor, an arrant
flatterer, egged him on, whispering that if he did not avenge himself,
he would be the laughing-stock of the whole world, and would be looked
upon as a mere twopenny-halfpenny monarch. Thus influenced, he vowed he
would not pardon them, and ordered their trial to take place. This did not take long, for it was only necessary to compare side by
side the portrait of the true Princess Rosette with the actual person
who had come in her place and claimed identity with her. The prisoners
were forthwith condemned to have their heads cut off as a penalty for
lying, in that they brought the king an ugly little peasant girl after
promising a beautiful princess. The sentence was read with great ceremony at the prison, but the victims
protested that they had spoken the truth, that their sister was indeed a
princess, and that there was something at the back of all this which
they did not understand. They asked for a respite of seven days, that
they might have an opportunity of establishing their innocence; and
though the King of the Peacock's wrath was such that he had great
difficulty in granting this concession, he agreed to it at length. Something must now be told of what was happening to poor Princess
Rosette while all these events were taking place at the Court. Great was her astonishment, and Frillikin's also, to find herself, when
day came, in mid-ocean without boat or any means of assistance. She fell
to weeping, and cried so long and bitterly that all the fishes were
moved to compassion. She knew not what to do, nor what would become of
her. 'There is no doubt,' she said, 'that I have been thrown into the sea by
order of the King of the Peacocks. He has regretted his promise to marry
me, and to be rid of me without fuss he has had me drowned. A strange
way for a man to behave! And I should have loved him so much, and we
should have been so happy together!'