Princess Rosette by Charles Perrault

Name: Princess Rosette
Author: Charles Perrault

A king and queen, blessed with two sons, are devastated when a prophecy foretells that their newborn daughter will bring misfortune to her brothers. To protect her, they confine her to a tower. As she matures, her brothers grow fond of her, but after their parents die, they decide to release her. The princess, Rosette, insists on marrying the King of the Peacocks, a whimsical choice that leads her brothers on a quest to find him. They eventually locate the king, who agrees to marry Rosette but demands she be as beautiful as her portrait. Meanwhile, a treacherous nurse attempts to drown Rosette, but she floats to safety on her feather bed. Rescued by a kind old man, she disguises herself as a peasant. While living in his hut, her loyal dog, Frillikin, steals food from the king's kitchen, leading to a series of misunderstandings. Eventually, the truth is revealed, and Rosette's beauty captivates the King of the Peacocks. After a dramatic series of events, including the capture of the nurse and her daughter, Rosette and the king marry, leading to a joyful celebration that lasts for days.

By Charles Perrault · First published 1697 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 8,552 words

First lines

Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who had two handsome boys, and so well looked after were the latter that they grew apace, like the daylight.

The queen never had a child without summoning the fairies to be present at the birth, and she always begged them to tell what its future was to be. When in due course she had a beautiful little daughter -- so pretty that one could not set eyes on her without loving her -- all the fairies came to visit her, and were hospitably entertained. As they were making ready to go, the queen said to them:

What this Textopian page supports

Princess Rosette is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Perrault, dated 1697 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Charles Perrault
Date: 1697 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure
Length: 8,552 words
Structure: 1 section, 126 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Princess Rosette by Charles Perrault
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Princess Rosette?
How does this novel by Charles Perrault fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Fairy Tale — As a work by Charles Perrault, 'Princess Rosette' is part of his collection of fairy tales, predominantly featuring elements of magic, royalty, and moral lessons.
Fantasy — In 'Princess Rosette', there exist elements of the fantastical, such as talking animals and magical objects, which are typical of the fantasy genre.
Children's Literature — Like other works by Perrault, 'Princess Rosette' is primarily targeted towards children, with accessible language and elements of adventure and whimsy.
Adventure — The story follows Princess Rosette on several adventures, including escaping from her wicked sisters and finding her way in the fairy kingdom.