The Rose and the Ring or the History of Prince Giglio and Prince Bulbo - Couverture souple

The Rose and the Ring is one of those special literary treats which happen when a writer for adults turns (in this case) his attention to the world of children. It's a classic fairy tale, told with Thackeray's customary insight into characters.

In The Rose and the Ring, Thackeray’s fondness for children bubbles out full of fun and frolic. No boy or girl should miss the pleasure of meeting Countess Gruffanuff, Angellica, Hedzoff and the other dwellers of Paflogonia.

“A fireside pantomime for great and small children. The children and the world owe this delightful absurdity to a little girl friend of Mr. Thackeray, as it was written to amuse her during an illness. The rose and the ring each had the power of making its wearer charming in the eyes of any beholder. Naturally as they changed hands some complications of affections arose.” -American institute of Child Life

“Like Dickens, Thackeray wrote several Christmas books, the best known of which is the extraordinarily light and playful extravaganza of ‘The Rose and the Ring,’ a story intended for children, but most thoroughly enjoyed by such children as are grown up. We consider ‘The Rose and the Ring’ indeed as almost one of his great works. It is so absolutely the best thing of its kind, full of such genial humor and such splendid absurdity, carried on just to the proper limit and never allowed to run over into buffoonery.” -Margaret Oliphant

“A quaint and racy fairy tale.” -The Athenaeum