The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1863-11-07
RIQUET WITH THE TUFT.

Once upon a time a Queen had a
little son, who was so ugly and i'll
made. that for long time the poor
little baby was thought scarcely hui
man. However, a good fairy who
presided at his birth, assured his
mother that.though ugly he would
have SO much sense and wit that he
would never be disagreeable; more
over she bestowed on him the pow
er OF communicating these gifts TO
the person he loved best in the world.
At this the queen was a little COM
forted, and became still more so
when,as soon as he could speak, the
infant began to say such pretty and
clever things that everybody was
charmed with him. Il forgot 10
mention that his name was Riquet
with the Tuft, because he was born
with curious tuft of hair on the top
Of his head.)
Seven or eight years after this,the
queen Of a neighboring country had
two little daughters,twins,at whose
birth the same fairy presided. The
elder twin was more beautiful than
the day-the younger so extremely
ugly that the mothers extrayagant
JOY in the first was all turned to
grief in the second. So.in order to
calm her feelings, the fairy told her
that the one daughter should be as
stupid as she was pretty, while the
other wo'd grow up so clever and
charming that nobody would miss
her want of beauty. tf2-
"Heaven grant it" sighed the
queen; "but are there no means OF
giving little sense to the one who
is SO beautiful"
Il can do nothing for her,madam,'
returned the fairy-''nothing as re-
CARDS her own fortunes; but | grant
her the power of making the person
who best pleases her as handsome
as herseif.' -a-z -..
Accordingly as the young prin-
cesses grew up, their projections
grew with them;and nothing was
spoken OF but the beauty Of the eld-
Ell and the wit of the younger. True,
their faults increased equally : the
one became ug!ier, and the other
more stupid day by day. Unlucky
fair one! she never had word for
herself, or else it was the silliest
word imaginable, aud she was So
awkward that she could not place
four ,ea-cups in row wilhou,
breaking at least one OF them, nor
drink glass of water without spill
ing half Of il over her clothes. Beau
ty is charm; yet, whenever the
sisters went out toge,her.ihose who
were attracted by the elders lovely
face, in less than half an hour were
sure 10 be seen at the side of the
younger, laughing at her witty and
pleasant sayings, and altogether de-
serting the poor beauty. who had
Just sense enough TO find il out, and
10 feel that she would have given all
her good looks for one half Of hel
sisters talents.
One day. when she had hid her.
self in wood and was crying over
her hard fate, she saw coming toward
her o little man,very ugly but mag.
nifcenily dressed. Who should this
he but Prince Riquet with the Tufi'
He had seen her portrait, had fallen
desperately in love with her,and Sc.
cretly quilted his fathers Kingdom
that he might have the pleasure o.
meeting her. Delighted 10 find hsl
alone, ne came forward with all the
respect and politeness imaginable
But he could rot help noticing how
very melancholy she was, and tina,
all The elegant compliments he made
her did not seem TO affect her in the
least.
81 cannot comprehend, madam, y
said he, show SO charming and love
Jy a lady can be SO sad. Never
did SEE any one who could at all
compare with you"
"That's all you know" said the
princess,and stopped.
"Beauiy," continued the Prince,
signing, "is SO great an advantage
that, If one possessed it. one would
never trouble oneselfabout anything
else" -
81 wish | was as ugly as you and
had some sense, rather than be as
handsome as | am, and such fool. /"
TO DE CONTINUED.