La Rose, la violette et le papillon (The Rose, the Violet, and the Butterfly) is a ballet divertissement in one act, with choreography by Marius Petipa, and music by Duke Peter Georgievich of Oldenburg. The libretto was by Jules Perrot.
First presented by the Imperial Ballet on, for the Imperial court at the theatre of Tsarskoe Selo, St. Petersburg, Russia, a second premiere was given by the Imperial Ballet on . at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia. The Principal Dancers were Mariia Surovshchikova-Petipa (the Rose), Matilda Madaeva (the Violet), and Marfa Muravieva (as the Butterfly).
A rose and a violet have both become enamoured by a gorgeous butterfly who flutters around them, paying court to their sweet embrace. The blossoms attempt to succeed the other with their floral charms, however at the end of these proceedings, the butterfly chooses to fly away rather than exclude one over the other.