Rosanella is the daughter of a queen named Balanice. Curiously both the mother and daughter share names that are similar to Rosella and Queen Valanice of Daventry.
Background[]
There is a curious story about a princess by the name of Rosanella, the daughter of a queen named Balanice. Balanice was extremely bright and charming, and this intelligence was passed on to her daughter, who was given the name Rosanella because of the tiny, perfect, pink rose birthmark on her neck. Rosanella, however was kidnapped from her bed one night, and no matter how much the king and queen searched, she could not be found.
One day, twelve peasant-girls approached Balanice, each with a wicker basket, each basket containing a little girl of about the same age as Rosanella.
Each of the little girls had a pink rose in the same place as the lost princess. Balanice and her husband raised the girls as their own, and they all grew up to be beautiful, but each had a totally different disposition--gay, sweet, grave, joyful, loving, etc. They became known to all as the Rose Maidens. One day, when they were all together at a garden party, enormous bees buzzed out of the skies and flew off with all of the Rose Maidens.
Several days later, a crystal chariot drawn by fairies flew out of the sky and came to rest outside of the palace. In the chariot, accompanied by another fairy, was the most beautiful princess anyone had ever seen. The fairy introduced the girl to the joyous king and queen as their long-lost daughter Rosanella, whom she had stolen years before. The fairy had divided the girl's character into twelve parts so that each would develop to perfection--these were the Rose Maidens, all single aspects of Rosanella.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Rosanella is a character from the French fairy tale of the same name. The story appears in the Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. Balanice and Rosanella are the inspiration for the names of Valanice and Rosella in the KQ series.
References[]
- ↑ KQC2E, 502, 503