But when Tourmaline arrived at the palace, dressed all in lovely,
fluffy robes and with a dainty pink plume in her pink hair, she
begged most earnestly not to be made the Queen again.
"I'm having a good time just now after years of worry and
uncomfortable living in this uncomfortable old hut of a palace,"
said the poor girl, "so it would be cruel for you to make me the
servant of the people again and condemn me to want and misery."
"That seems reason'ble," replied Trot thoughtfully.
"Rosalie's skin is just as light a pink as my own," continued
Tourmaline. "Why don't you make her the Queen?"
"I hadn't thought of that," said Trot. Then she turned to Rosalie
and asked, "How would you like to rule the Pinkies?"
"I wouldn't like it," replied the Witch with a smile. "The Queen is
the poorest and most miserable creature in all the kingdom, and I'm
sure I don't deserve such a fate. I've always tried to be a good
witch and to do my duty."
Trot thought this over quite seriously for a time. Then one of her
quaint ideas came to her--so quaint that it was entirely sensible.
"I'm the Queen of the Pinkies just now, am I not?" she asked.
"Of course," answered Rosalie. "None can dispute that."
"Then I've the right to make new laws, haven't I?"
"I believe so."
"In that case," said the girl, "I'm goin' to make a law that the
Queen shall have the same food an' the same dresses an' the same
good times that her people have; and she shall live in a house jus'
as good as the houses of any of her people, an' have as much money
to spend as anybody.
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