At this news, half the courtiers ran off to pay their duty to the
conquering chief, and the other half ran away, laying hands on all the
best articles in the palace; and poor little Rosalba was left there
quite alone--quite alone; and she toddled from one room to another,
crying, 'Countess! Duchess!' (Only she said 'Tountess, Duttess,' not
being able to speak plain) 'bring me my mutton sop; my Royal Highness
hungy! Tountess! Duttess!' And she went from the private apartments into
the throne-room and nobody was there;--and thence into the ballroom
and nobody was there;--and thence into the pages' room and nobody was
there;--and she toddled down the great staircase into the hall and
nobody was there;--and the door was open, and she went into the court,
and into the garden, and thence into the wilderness, and thence into the
forest where the wild beasts live, and was never heard of any more!

A piece of her torn mantle and one of her shoes were found in the wood
in the mouths of two lionesses' cubs whom KING PADELLA and a royal
hunting party shot--for he was King now, and reigned over Crim Tartary.
'So the poor little Princess is done for,' said he; 'well, what's done
can't be helped. Gentlemen, let us go to luncheon!' And one of the
courtiers took up the shoe and put it in his pocket. And there was an
end of Rosalba!




IV. HOW BLACKSTICK WAS NOT ASKED TO THE PRINCESS ANGELICA'S CHRISTENING

When the Princess Angelica was born, her parents not only did not ask
the Fairy Blackstick to the christening party, but gave orders to their
porter absolutely to refuse her if she called. This porter's name