Pierścień i róża - William Makepeace Thackeray (Siedmioróg)

Książka w dwóch wersjach językowych: polskiej i angielskiej. A dual Polish-English language edition. Akcja toczy się w dwóch fikcyjnych państwach Paflagonii i Krymtatarii. W obu tych krająch rządzą uzurpatorzy.

W pierwszym Walorozo, który zagarnął tron prawowitego następcy tronu Lulejki, a w drugim Padella, który pokonał króla Kalafiore, rządzi na jego miejscu przekonany o śmierci jego córki - prawowitej następczyni tronu.

Książę Lulejko żyje beztrosko nie przejmując się brakiem korony. Jest zaręczony z piękną królewną Angeliką, córką Walorozo, o której rękę stara się także przystojny syn Padelli książę Bulbo. Nie zdaje sobie sprawę, że Angelika zawdzięcza swoją urodę magicznemu pierścieniowi, a podobnie jak Bulbo magicznej róży.

(http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierscień_i_róża) Set in the fictional countries of Paflagonia and Crim Tartary, the story revolves around the lives and fortunes of four young royal cousins, Princesses Angelica and Rosalba, and Princes Bulbo and Giglio.

Each page is headed aby a line of poetry summing up the plot at that point and the storyline as a whole is laid out, as the book states, as ""A Fireside Pantomime"". The original edition had illustrations by Thackeray who had once intended a career as an illustrator.

The plot opens on the royal family of Paflagonia eating breakfast together: King Valoroso, his wife, the Queen, and their daughter, Princess Angelica. Through the course of the meal it is discovered that Prince Bulbo, heir to the neighbouring kingdom of Crim Tartary, and son of King Padella is coming to visit Paflagonia.

It is also discovered, after the two females have left the table, that King Valoroso stole his crown, and all his wealth, from his nephew, Prince Giglio, when the prince was an infant. Prince Giglio and Princess Angelica have been brought up together very closely, Princess Angelica being considered the most beautiful and wisest girl in the kingdom and Giglio being much overlooked in the household.

Giglio, besotted with his cousin, has given her a ring belonging to his mother, which, unknown to them, was given to her żeby the Fairy Blackstick and which held the power to make the wearer beautiful to everyone who beheld them.

After an argument with Giglio, about the arrival of the long-awaited Prince Bulbo, Angelica throws the ring out of the window and can be seen for her own, less attractive self. (http://en.wikipedia.