Riquet with the Tuft

Once upon a time, a Queen gave birth to a son so hideously ugly thatThere was, once upon a time, a Queen, who was brought to bed of a son, so hideously ugly, that people argued for a long time about whether he even looked humanit was long disputed, whether he had human form. A Fairy who was at his birth declared that he would be very lovable despite this, sinceA Fairy, who was at his birth, affirmed, he would be very lovable for all that, since he would have great intelligence andshould be indowed with abundance ofExplanation: Wit here includes intelligence, quick understanding and clever conversation, rather than humour alone. wit. She even added that, with the gift she had just given him, he would be able to give the person he loved most as much wit as he pleased.She even added, that it would be in his power, by virtue of a gift she had just then given him, to bestow on the person he most loved as much wit as he pleased. All this somewhat comforted the poor Queen, who was deeply distressed at having brought such an ugly brat into the worldunder a grievous affliction for having brought into the world such an ugly brat. It is true that as soon as the child began to talk, he said a thousand charming things. There was something so appealing in everything he did that he charmed everybody.It is true, that this child no sooner began to prattle, but he said a thousand pretty things, and that in all his actions there was something so taking, that he charmed every-body. I forgot to tell you thatI forgot to tell you, that he came into the world with a little tuft of hair upon his head, which made them call him Riquet with the Tuft, for Riquet was the family name.

Seven or eight years after this, the Queen of a neighbouring kingdom gave birth to twin daughterswas delivered of two daughters at a birth. The first-born of these was beautiful beyond compare, which made the Queen so happy thatwhereat the Queen was so very glad, that those present were afraid that her excess of joy would do her harm. The same Fairy who had been present at the birth of little Riquet with the Tuft was here too. To lessen the Queen's joy, she declared that this little Princess would have no wit at all, but be as stupid as she was pretty.The same Fairy, who had assisted at the birth of little Riquet with the Tuft, was here also; and, to moderate the Queen's gladness, she declared, that this little Princess should have no wit at all, but be as stupid as she was pretty. This distressed the Queen terribly. But a few moments later she had far greater sorrow, for the second daughter she gave birth to was very ugly.This mortified the Queen extreamly, but some moments afterwards she had far greater sorrow; for, the second daughter she was delivered of, was very ugly.

"Do not be so upsetafflict yourself so much, Madam," said the Fairy; "your daughter will be so intelligent that people will scarcely notice her lack of beautyshall have so great a portion of wit, that her want of beauty will scarcely be perceived."

"God grant it," replied the Queen; "but is there no way to make the eldest, who is so pretty, have a little withave some little wit?"

"I can do nothing for her intelligence, Madam, Madam, as to wit," answered the Fairy, "but I can do everything for her beauty. As I would do anything to please you, I give her this gift: she will have the power to make the person she likes best handsome everything as to beauty; and as there is nothing but what I would do for your satisfaction, I give her for gift, that she shall have the power to make handsome the person who shall best please her."

As these Princesses grew up, their gifts grew with them. Alltheir perfections grew up with them; all the public talk was of the beauty of the eldest, and the wit of the youngest. It is also true that their faults grew considerably as they grew older. The youngest visibly grew uglier and uglier, and the eldest became more and more stupid every day. She either gave no answer at all to a question or said something very silly. Besides all this, she was so clumsy that she could not put four pieces of china on the mantelpiece without breaking one, nor drink a glass of water without spilling half of it on her clothes.It is true also that their defects increased considerably with their age; the youngest visibly grew uglier and uglier, and the eldest became every day more and more stupid; she either made no answer at all to what was asked her, or said something very silly; she was with all this so unhandy, that she could not place four pieces of china upon the mantlepiece, without breaking one of them, nor drink a glass of water without spilling half of it upon her cloaths. Though beauty is a great advantage in young people, the younger sister nearly always outshone the elder in company. People first went to admire the Beauty, but soon turned to the Wit to hear her wonderfully entertaining conversation. Amazingly, in less than fifteen minutes, the elder would be left alone while everyone crowded around the youngerTho' beauty is a very great advantage in young people, yet here the youngest sister bore away the bell, almost always, in all companies from the eldest; people would indeed, go first to the Beauty to look upon, and admire her, but turn aside soon after to the Wit, to hear a thousand most entertaining and agreeable turns, and it was amazing to see, in less than a quarter of an hour's time, the eldest with not a soul with her and the whole company crowding about the youngest. The eldest, though she was remarkably slow-witted, could not help noticingtho' she was unaccountably dull, could not but notice it, and would have given all her beauty to have half the wit of her sister. The Queen, prudent as she was, could not help reproaching her several times, which almost made the poor Princess die ofhad like to have made this poor Princess die for grief.

One day, as she withdrew into the woodas she retired into the wood to weep overbewail her misfortune, she saw a little man coming towards her, very unpleasant to look at but most magnificently dressed.she saw, coming to her, a little man, very disagreeable, but most magnificently dressed. This was the young Prince Riquet with the Tuft, who had fallen in love with her after seeing her picture, copies of which travelled all over the world. He had left his father’s kingdom forhaving fallen in love with her, by seeing her picture, many of which went all the world over, had left his father's kingdom, to have the pleasure of seeing and talking with her.

Overjoyed to find her all alone like this, he spoke to her with all imaginable politeness and respect.Overjoyed to find her thus all alone, he addressed himself to her with all imaginable politeness and respect. After the usual compliments, he noticed that she was extremely sad, and saidHaving observed, after he had made her the ordinary compliments, that she was extremely melancholy, he said to her:

"I cannot understandcomprehend, Madam, how someone as beautiful as you can seem so sorrowful. For thoughhow a person so beautiful as you are, can be so sorrowful as you seem to be; for tho' I can boast of having seen countless numbersinfinite numbers of ladies exquisitely charming, I can say that I have never seen anyone whose beauty comes close to never beheld any one whose beauty approaches yours."

"That is kind of you to sayYou are pleased to say so," answered the Princess, and here she stopped.

"Beauty," replied Riquet with the Tuft, "is such a great advantage, that it ought to make up for everything else. Sincetake the place of all things; and since you possess this treasure, I cannot see what could make you so unhappy see nothing that can possibly very much afflict you."

"I would much ratherI had far rather," cried the Princess, "be as ugly as you are, and have wit, than have the beauty I possess, and be so stupid as I am."

"There is nothing, Madam," he repliedreturned he, "that shows our intelligence more than believingshews more that we have wit, than to believe we have none. It is the nature of that excellent quality thatnone; and it is the nature of that excellent quality, that the more people have of it, the more they believe they lackwant it."

"I do not know that," said the Princess; "but I know very well thatI know, very well, that I have very little sense, and that is what makes me so desperately unhappyam very senseless, and thence proceeds the vexation which almost kills me."

"If that is all that troubles you, Madam, I can easily put an end to your distressbe all, Madam, which troubles you, I can very easily put an end to your affliction."

"And how will you do that?" cried the Princess.

"I have the power, Madam," replied Riquet with the Tuft, "to give the person I love most as much wit as anyone can have. Since you, Madam, are that very person, only you will be to blame if you do not have as much of it as anyone alive: you need only agree to marry me.to give to that person whom I shall love best, as much wit as can be had; and as you, Madam, are that very person, it will be your fault only, if you have not as great a share of it as any one living, provided you will be pleased to marry me."

The Princess remained quite astonished, and did not answer a wordanswered not a word.

"I see," replied Riquet with the Tuft, "that this proposal makes you very uneasy, and I am not surprised. But I willI do not wonder at it, but I will give you a whole year to think it overconsider of it."

The Princess had so little wit and such a great longing to have some that she imagined the end of that year would never come. So she accepted his proposal.The Princess had so little wit, and, at the same time, so great a longing to have some, that she imagined the end of that year would never be; therefore she accepted the proposal which was made her. As soon as she promised Riquet with the Tuft that she would marry him a year from that day,She had no sooner promised Riquet with the Tuft that she would marry him on that day twelvemonth, than she found herself completely changed. She could say whatever she wished with astonishing ease, politeness and grace. At once she began such a lively, charming conversation with Riquet with the Tuft that he thought he had given her more wit than he had keptquite otherwise than she was before; she had an incredible facility of speaking whatever she pleased, after a polite, easy, and natural manner; she began that moment a very gallant conversation with Riquet with the Tuft, wherein she tattled at such a rate, that Riquet with the Tuft believed he had given her more wit than he had reserved for himself.

When she returned to the palace, the whole Court did not knowknew not what to think of such a sudden and extraordinary change, for theychange; for they heard from her now as much good sense and clever conversation as they had heard foolish, silly remarkssensible discourse, and as many infinitely witty turns, as they had stupid and silly impertinences before. The whole Court was overjoyed beyond imagination. Everyone was pleased except her younger sister. With no longer any advantage in wit, the younger seemed a very unpleasant, plain-looking girl in comparison.The whole Court was overjoyed at it beyond imagination; it pleased all but her younger sister; because having no longer the advantage of her in respect of wit, she appeared, in comparison of her, a very disagreeable, homely puss. The King took the elder princess’s advice in governinggoverned himself by her advice, and would even sometimes hold a council in her apartment. News of this change spread everywhere. All the young Princes of the neighbouring kingdoms did their best to win her favour, and almost all asked her to marry them. But she found that none had enough wit for her. She listened to them all, but would not promise to marry any of them.The noise of this change spreading every where, all the young Princes of the neighbouring kingdoms strove all they could to gain her favour, and almost all of them asked her in marriage; but she found not one of them had wit enough for her, and she gave them all a hearing, but would not engage herself to any.

However, there came one so powerful, rich, witty and handsome, that she could not help taking a liking tohaving a good inclination for him. Her father perceived it, and told her that she was free to choose her own her own mistress as to the choice of a husband, and could say what she wished to doand that she might declare her intentions. The more intelligent we are, the harder it can be to decide such things. So she thanked her father and asked for time to think it overAs the more wit we have, the greater difficulty we find to make a firm resolution upon such affairs, this made her desire her father, after having thanked him, to give her time to consider of it.

She happened to go for a went accidentally to walk in the same wood where she had met Riquet with the Tuft, to consider more calmly whatwhere she met Riquet with the Tuft, to think, the more conveniently,, what she ought to do. While she was walking deep in thoughtin a profound meditation, she heard a confused noise under her feet, as if a great many people were hurrying busily back and forth. Listening more closely,as it were of a great many people who went backwards and forwards, and were very busy. Having listened more attentively, she heard one say:

"Bring me that pot"; another "Give me that kettle"; and a third, "Put some wood upon the fire."

At the same time the ground opened, and she seemed to see beneath her feetThe ground at the same time opened, and she seemingly saw under her feet, a great kitchen full of cooks, kitchen helpersscullions, and all sorts of servants necessary for a magnificent feastentertainment. Twenty or thirty roasting cooks came out and gathered around a very long table on a fine path through the wood. They held larding needles, for putting strips of fat into meat, and had skewers in their caps. They began to work in time to a beautiful song.There came out of it a company of roasters, to the number of twenty, or thirty, who went to plant themselves in a fine alley of wood, about a very long table, with their larding pins in their hands, and skewers in their caps, who began to work, keeping time, to the tune of a very harmonious song.

The Princess, all astonished at this sight, asked them who they worked for.

"For Prince Riquet with the Tuft," said the chief of them, "who is to be married tomorrowto-morrow."

The Princess was more surprised than ever. She remembered that a year had now passed since she promised to marry Riquet with the Tuft, and felt she might sink into the ground.The Princess was more surprised than ever, and recollecting that it was now that day twelvemonth on which she had promised to marry Riquet with the Tuft, she was like to sink into the ground.

She had forgotten this because, when she made the promise, she was very silly. After receiving the vast stock of wit the Prince had given her, she had completely forgotten how foolish she had been.What made her forget this was that, when she made this promise, she was very silly, and having obtained that vast stock of wit which the Prince had bestowed on her, she had intirely forgot her stupidity. She continued walking, but had not taken thirty steps before Riquet with the Tuft appeared before herpresented himself to her, splendidly andbravely and most magnificently dressed, like a Prince who was going to be married.

"You see, Madam," said he, "I keep my word exactly, and have no doubt that you have come here to keep yours. By giving me your hand, you will make me the happiest of men.am very exact in keeping my word, and doubt not, in the least, but you are come hither to perform yours, and to make me, by giving me your hand, the happiest of men."

"I will freely admitshall freely own to you," answered the Princess, "that I have not yet decided about this, and I believe I shall never decide as you wishtaken any resolution on this affair, and believe I never shall take such a one as you desire."

"You astonish me, Madam," said Riquet with the Tuft.

"I believe it," said the Princess, "and surely if I were dealing with a rude fool or a man without intelligencehad to do with a clown, or a man of no wit, I would hardly know what to doI should find myself very much at a loss. 'A Princess always keepsobserves her word,' he wouldwould he say to me, 'and you must marry me, since you promised to do so.' But as I am speaking to the man with the greatest sense and judgement in the world he whom I talk to is the man of the world who is master of the greatest sense and judgment, I am sure he will listen to reasonhe will hear reason. You know that even when I was a fool, I could never truly decide to marry you. Why do you now expect me to make that decision, when the judgement you gave me has made me harder to please, that when I was but a fool, I could, notwithstanding, never come to a resolution to marry you; why will you have me, now I have so much judgment as you gave me, and which makes me a more difficult person than I was at that time, to come to such a resolution, which I could not then determine to agree to? If you sincerely intended to make me your wife, you were very wrong to free me from my dull simplicity and make me see things much more clearly than before.If you sincerely thought to make me your wife, you have been greatly in the wrong to deprive me of my dull simplicity, and make me see things much more clearly than I did."

"If a man of no wit and sense," replied Riquet with the Tuft, "would have the right, as you say, to blame you for breaking your word, why will you not let me do the same, Madam, when all my happiness is at stakebe entitled, as you say, to reproach you for breach of your word, why will you not let me, Madam, do likewise in a matter wherein all the happiness of my life is concerned? Is it reasonable that people with wit and sense should be worse off than those who have nonepersons of wit and sense should be in a worse condition than those who have none? Can you claim that, when you have so much wit and sense yourself and longed so eagerly to have them?Can you pretend this; you who have so great a share, and desired so earnestly to have it? But let us get to the pointcome to fact, if you please. Setting aside my ugliness and deformity, is there anything about me that displeasesany thing in me which displeases you? Are you dissatisfied with my family background, my wit, my character or my mannersmy birth, my wit, humour, or manners?"

"Not at all," answered the Princess; "I love you and respect you in all that you mention." "If that is soIf it be so," said Riquet with the Tuft, "I am likelylike to be happy, since it is in your power to make me the most lovable of men."

"How can that be?" said the Princess.

"It will come about," said Riquet with the Tuft, "ifIt will come about," said Riquet with the Tuft; "if you love me enough to wish it to be so. To leave you in no doubt, Madam, the same Fairy gave each of us a gift at birth. She gave me the power to make the person who pleased me extremely intelligent and wise. She gave you the power to make the man you love extremely handsome, if you wish; and that you may no ways doubt, Madam, of what I say, know that the same Fairy, who, on my birth-day, gave me for gift the power of making the person who should please me extremely witty and judicious, has, in like manner, given you for gift the power of making him, whom you love, and would grant that favour to, extremely handsome."

"If that is soIf it be so," said the Princess, "I wish, with all my heart, that you become the most lovable Prince in the world, and I give you that gift as far as I am able.that you may be the most lovable Prince in the world, and I bestow it on you, as much as I am able."

As soon as the Princess spoke these words,The Princess had no sooner pronounced these words, but Riquet with the Tuft appeared to her the finest Prince on earth, the handsomest and most amiable man she had ever seen.the finest Prince upon earth; the handsomest and most amiable man she ever saw. Some say that the Fairy’s enchantments did not bring about this change, but that love alone caused the metamorphosis.Some affirm that it was not the enchantments of the Fairy which worked this change, but that love alone caused the metamorphosis. They say that, after reflecting on her lover's persistence, his good sense and all the good qualities of his mind, his wit and judgement, the Princess no longer saw his misshapen body or ugly face. His hump seemed to her no more than the ordinary appearance of a broad back. Until then she had seen him limp horribly; now it seemed to her only a certain sideways walk which charmed her.They say, that the Princess, having made due reflection on the perseverance of her lover, his discretion, and all the good qualities of his mind, his wit and judgment, saw no longer the deformity of his body, nor the ugliness of his face; that his hump seemed to her no more than the homely air of one who has a broad back; and that whereas till then she saw him limp horribly, she found it nothing more than a certain sidling air, which charmed her. They also say that his eyes, which had a pronounced squint, seemed to her all the brighter and more sparkling. She took their unevenness as a sign of his overwhelming love. And in short, his great red nose had, in her opinion, something of the warrior and the hero.They say farther, that his eyes, which were very squinting, seemed to her all the more bright and sparkling; that their irregularity passed in her judgment for a mark of a violent excess of love; and, in short, that his great red nose had, in her opinion, somewhat of the martial and heroic.

However it happenedHowsoever it was, the Princess promised immediately to marry him, on condition that he obtainedon condition he obtained her father's consent. The King learnt how highly his daughter valued Riquet with the Tuft, whom he already knew to be a very wise and sensible Prince. He gladly welcomed him as his son-in-law. The next morning their wedding was celebrated, just as Riquet with the Tuft had expected and arranged long beforebeing acquainted that his daughter had abundance of esteem for Riquet with the Tuft, whom he knew otherwise for a most sage and judicious Prince, received him for his son-in-law with pleasure; and the next morning their nuptials were celebrated, as Riquet with the Tuft had foreseen, and according to the orders he had a long time before given.

The Moral

What in this little Tale we find,
Is less a fable than real truth.
In those we love appear rare gifts of mind,
And body too: wit, judgment, beauty, youth.

Another

A countenance on which, by nature’swhereon, by naturesExplanation: Countenance is a literary word for a person’s face or its appearance. hand,
Beauty is traced, with lively colour too,
Of a complexion art can’t match in hue,Beauty is trac'd, also the lively stain
Of such complexion art can ne'er attain,
With all these gifts hashath not so much command
On hearts, as doeshath one secret charm alone.
Love finds that out, to all othersbesides unknown.