Seven or eight years later the Queen of a neighboring kingdom had two
daughters who were twins. The first born of these was more beautiful
than the day; whereat the Queen was so very glad that those present were
afraid that her excess of joy would do her harm. The same fairy who was
present 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 sense at all, but should be as stupid as she was pretty.
This mortified the Queen extremely; but afterward she had a far greater
sorrow, for the second daughter proved to be very ugly.

"Do not afflict yourself so much, madam," said the fairy. "Your daughter
shall have her recompense; she shall have so great a portion of sense
that the want of beauty will hardly be perceived."

"God grant it," replied the Queen; "but is there no way to make the
eldest, who is so pretty, have any sense?"

"I can do nothing for her, madam, as to sense," answered the fairy, "but
everything as to beauty; and as there is nothing I would not do for your
satisfaction, I give her for gift that she shall have power to make
handsome the person who shall best please her."

As these princesses grew up, their perfections grew with them. All the
public talk was of the beauty of the elder and the rare good sense of
the younger. It is true also that their defects increased considerably
with their age. The younger visibly grew uglier and uglier, and the
elder 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 mantelpiece without breaking one of them, nor drink a glass of water