Mother Thomas soon rose likewise, and returned to the kitchen. But
what was her horror on beholding her daughter's face black as ebony,
her hair woolly and crisped like a negro's! As there was no mirror in
the cottage, Rose could not understand what had so alarmed her mother;
she asked if she had involuntarily had the misfortune to give offence?
"No, no," said the old dame, weeping; "shouldst thou remain all thy
life as black as ink, I shall not love thee less; but I cannot without
pain recall thy beauties of yesterday. Thou wilt be laughed at; and us
too. Still, we will keep thee--thou must never leave us."
Rose readily promised she never would. But when her brothers returned,
they considered the change in her quite as a matter of course. They
recollected the prediction of the pitcher, and seemed quite delighted
to think that, since it was fulfilled in the first instance, they
might yet become the brothers of a queen.
Meanwhile they lived on better terms with Rose, hoping that one day
she might be of service to them. Far from listening to the counsels of
their father, they endeavoured to awaken in her mind the seeds of
ambition; and in order to further views interested and selfish,
flattered her beauty, her talents, and her sense, rendering the future
queen the most respectful homage, which diverted her exceedingly.
But, strange to say, Rose was not always black; every second day she
recovered her natural beauty, from whence it might be concluded, that
the influence of the fairy and the Enchanter Barabapatapouf operated
alternately.
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