But occasionally Rosalind would say , `` I do believe , my dear , that you are really as clever as ever ! '' And he was ! CHAPTER I . The Troubles of King Prigio . -LCB- Prince Ricardo and lady tied up : p13.jpg -RCB- `` I 'm sure I do n't know what to do with that boy ! '' said King Prigio of Pantouflia . `` If you do n't know , my dear , '' said Queen Rosalind , his illustrious consort , `` I ca n't see what is to be done . You are so clever . '' The king and queen were sitting in the royal library , of which the shelves were full of the most delightful fairy books in all languages , all equally familiar to King Prigio . The queen could not read most of them herself , but the king used to read them aloud to her . A good many years had passed -- seventeen , in fact -- since Queen Rosalind was married , but you would not think it to look at her . Her grey eyes were as kind and soft and beautiful , her dark hair as dark , and her pretty colour as like a white rose blushing , as on the day when she was a bride . And she was as fond of the king as when he was only Prince Prigio , and he was as fond of her as on the night when he first met her at the ball . `` No , I do n't know what to do with Dick , '' said the king . He meant his son , Prince Ricardo , but he called him Dick in private . `` I believe it 's the fault of his education , '' his Majesty went on . `` We have not brought him up rightly . These fairy books are at the bottom of his provoking behaviour , '' and he glanced round the shelves . `` Now , when I was a boy , my dear mother tried to prevent me from reading fairy books , because she did not believe in fairies . '' `` But she was wrong , you know , '' said the queen .
`` Why , if it had not been for all these fairy presents , the Cap of Darkness and all the rest of them , you never could have killed the Fire-beast and the Ice-beast , and -- you never could have married me , '' the queen added , in a happy whisper , blushing beautifully , for that was a foolish habit XXXXX hers .
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