"A Five-Shilling Piece of King Cavolfiore" — Thirty-sixth illustration by W. M. Thackeray for "The Rose and The Ring" (1855)

A Five-Shilling Piece of King Cavolfiore

W. M. Thackeray

1855

Wood engraving, probably by William Linton

3.2 cm diameter (1 ½ inches)

Thirty-sixth illustration for The Rose and The Ring, p. 365.

Descriptive headlines: "To A Hut She Gains Admission, What A Touching Recognition!" (pp. 364-365).

Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]

Passage Illustrated: A Supposed "Family Resemblance" Establishes Betsinda's Identity

When the woodman heard this, he was so astonished, it was quite curious to see how astonished he was. He went to his cupboard, and took out of a stocking a five-shilling piece of King Cavolfiore, and vowed it was exactly like the young woman. And then he produced the shoe and piece of velvet which he had kept so long, and compared them with the things which Betsinda wore. In Betsinda’s little shoe was written, "Hopkins, maker to the Royal Family"; so in the other shoe was written, "Hopkins, maker to the Royal Family." In the inside of Betsinda’s piece of cloak was embroidered, "PRIN ROSAL"; in the other piece of cloak was embroidered "CESS BA. No. 246." So that when put together you read, "PRINCESS ROSALBA. No. 246."

On seeing this, the dear old woodman fell down on his knee, saying, "O my Princess, O my gracious royal lady, O my rightful Queen of Crim Tartary, — I hail thee — I acknowledge thee — I do thee homage!" And in token of his fealty, he rubbed his venerable nose three times on the ground, and put the Princess’s foot on his head. [Chapter XII, "How Betsinda Fled, and What Became of Her," 365]

Commentary: The First of Many Great Revelations

Thackeray's use of the slipper and the coin to identify Betsinda as the long-lost child of King Cavolfiore of Crim Tartary echoes Charles Perrault's use of the glass slipper in Cinderella to identify the protagonist as the Prince Charming's dancing-partner at the ball. Thackeray sets up the recognition scene in Chapter XI when he mentions the embroidered letters "PRIN" and "ROSAL" (356) on Betsinda's old cloak, and the single sandal hung around her neck. The coin, slipper, and fragment of cloak taken together prove that Betsinda is the "rightful Queen of Crim Tartary" (365). No sooner does she claim the throne than a burly suitor arrives: Hogginarmo.

Bibliography

Furniss, Harry. The Rose and The Ring; or, The History of Prince Giglio and the Prince Bulbo. William Makepeace Thackeray's Christmas Books. With illustrations by the author and Harry Furniss. The Harry Furniss Centenary Edition. London: Macmillan and Co., 1911. Pp. 287-428.

Titmarsh, M. A. [W. M. Thackeray].The Rose and The Ring. London: Smith, Elder, 1855.

Created 3 August 2022