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The Magic Fishbone A Holiday Romance By: Charles Dickens (1812-1870) |
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by CHARLES DICKENS With Illustrations by S. Beatrice Pearse [Illustration: The Queen came in most splendidly dressed p. 27]
THE MAGIC FISHBONE A Holiday Romance
from the Pen of
Miss Alice Rainbird
Aged 7. by CHARLES DICKENS London: Constable and Co. Ltd.
FOREWORD
The story contained herein was written by Charles Dickens in 1867. It is
the second of four stories entitled "Holiday Romance" and was published
originally in a children's magazine in America. It purports to be written
by a child aged seven. It was republished in England in "All the Year
Round" in 1868. For this and four other Christmas pieces Dickens received
£1,000. "Holiday Romance" was published in book form by Messrs Chapman & Hall in
1874, with "Edwin Drood" and other stories. For this reprint the text of the story as it appeared in "All the Year
Round" has been followed.
[Illustration: SEVERAL OF THE CHILDREN WERE GROWING OUT OF THEIR CLOTHES] There was once a King, and he had a Queen; and he was the manliest of
his sex, and she was the loveliest of hers. The King was, in his private
profession, Under Government. The Queen's father had been a medical man
out of town. They had nineteen children, and were always having more. Seventeen of
these children took care of the baby; and Alicia, the eldest, took care
of them all. Their ages varied from seven years to seven months. Let us now resume our story. One day the King was going to the office, when he stopped at the
fishmonger's to buy a pound and a half of salmon not too near the tail,
which the Queen (who was a careful housekeeper) had requested him to send
home. Mr Pickles, the fishmonger, said, "Certainly, sir, is there any
other article, Good morning." The King went on towards the office in a melancholy mood, for quarter day
was such a long way off, and several of the dear children were growing out
of their clothes. He had not proceeded far, when Mr Pickles's errand boy
came running after him, and said, "Sir, you didn't notice the old lady in
our shop." "What old lady?" enquired the King. "I saw none." Now, the King had not seen any old lady, because this old lady had been
invisible to him, though visible to Mr Pickles's boy. Probably because he
messed and splashed the water about to that degree, and flopped the pairs
of soles down in that violent manner, that, if she had not been visible to
him, he would have spoilt her clothes. Just then the old lady came trotting up. She was dressed in shot silk of
the richest quality, smelling of dried lavender. "King Watkins the First, I believe?" said the old lady. "Watkins," replied the King, "is my name." "Papa, if I am not mistaken, of the beautiful Princess Alicia?" said the
old lady. "And of eighteen other darlings," replied the King. "Listen. You are going to the office," said the old lady. It instantly flashed upon the King that she must be a Fairy, or how could
she know that? "You are right," said the old lady, answering his thoughts, "I am the Good
Fairy Grandmarina. Attend. When you return home to dinner, politely invite
the Princess Alicia to have some of the salmon you bought just now." "It may disagree with her," said the King. The old lady became so very angry at this absurd idea, that the King was
quite alarmed, and humbly begged her pardon. "We hear a great deal too much about this thing disagreeing, and that
thing disagreeing," said the old lady, with the greatest contempt it was
possible to express. "Don't be greedy. I think you want it all yourself." The King hung his head under this reproof, and said he wouldn't talk about
things disagreeing, any more. "Be good, then," said the Fairy Grandmarina, "and don't! When the
beautiful Princess Alicia consents to partake of the salmon as I think
she will you will find she will leave a fish bone on her plate. Tell
her to dry it, and to rub it, and to polish it till it shines like
mother of pearl, and to take care of it as a present from me... Continue reading book >>
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Genres for this book |
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Kids |
Fairy tales |
Fiction |
Humor |
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