`` She was like a white rose before , '' said a young Page to his neighbour , `` but she is like a red rose now '' ; and the whole Court was delighted . For the next three days everybody went about saying , `` White rose , Red rose , Red rose , White rose '' ; and the King gave orders that the Page 's salary was to be doubled . As he received no salary at all this was not of much use to him , but it was considered a great honour , and was duly published in the Court Gazette . When the three days were over the marriage was celebrated . It was a magnificent ceremony , and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in hand under a canopy of purple velvet embroidered with little pearls . Then there was a State Banquet , which lasted for five hours . The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear crystal . Only true lovers could drink out of this cup , for if false lips touched it , it grew grey and dull and cloudy . `` It 's quite clear that they love each other , '' said the little Page , `` as clear as crystal ! '' and the King doubled his salary a second time . `` What an honour ! '' cried all the courtiers . After the banquet there was to be a Ball . The bride and bridegroom were to dance the Rose-dance together , and the King had promised to play the flute . He played very badly , but no one had ever dared to tell him so , because he was the King . Indeed , he knew only two airs , and was never quite certain which one he was playing ; but it made no matter , for , whatever he did , everybody cried out , `` Charming ! charming ! '' The last item on the programme was a grand display of fireworks , to be let off exactly at midnight . The little Princess had never seen a firework in her life , so the King had given orders that the Royal Pyrotechnist should be in attendance on the day of her marriage . `` What are fireworks like ? ''
she had asked the XXXXX , one morning , as she was walking on the terrace .
Hall King Prince Red Rose-dance hours midnight neighbour programme second