Princess Belle-Etoile

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  PRINCESS BELLE-ETOILE

  WALTER CRANE'S PICTURE BOOKS

  LONDON NEW YORK JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD

  PRINCESS BELLE-ETOILE.

  Once upon a time there were three Princesses, named Roussette, Brunette,and Blondine, who lived in retirement with their mother, a Princess whohad lost all her former grandeur. One day an old woman called and askedfor a dinner, as this Princess was an excellent cook. After the meal wasover, the old woman, who was a fairy, promised that their kindnessshould be rewarded, and immediately disappeared.

  Shortly after, the King came that way, with his brother and the LordAdmiral. They were all so struck with the beauty of the threePrincesses, that the King married the youngest, Blondine, his brothermarried Brunette, and the Lord Admiral married Roussette.

  The good Fairy, who had brought all this about, also caused the youngQueen Blondine to have three lovely children, two boys and a girl, outof whose hair fell fine jewels. Each had a brilliant star on theforehead, and a rich chain of gold around the neck. At the same timeBrunette, her sister, gave birth to a handsome boy. Now the young Queenand Brunette were much attached to each other, but Roussette was jealousof both, and the old Queen, the King's mother, hated them. Brunette diedsoon after the birth of her son, and the King was absent on a warlikeexpedition, so Roussette joined the wicked old Queen in forming plans toinjure Blondine. They ordered Feintise, the old Queen's waiting-woman,to strangle the Queen's three children and the son of Princess Brunette,and bury them secretly. But as she was about to execute this wickedorder, she was so struck by their beauty, and the appearance of thesparkling stars on their foreheads, that she shrank from the deed.

  So she had a boat brought round to the beach, and put the four babes,with some strings of jewels, into a cradle, which she placed in theboat, and then set it adrift. The boat was soon far out at sea. Thewaves rose, the rain poured in torrents, and the thunder roared.Feintise could not doubt that the boat would be swamped, and feltrelieved by the thought that the poor little innocents would perish, forshe would otherwise always be haunted by the fear that somethingwould occur to betray the share she had had in their preservation.

  But the good Fairy protected them, and after floating at sea for sevendays they were picked up by a Corsair. He was so struck by their beautythat he altered his course, and took them home to his wife, who had nochildren. She was transported with joy when he placed them in her hands.They admired together the wonderful stars, the chains of gold that couldnot be taken off their necks, and their long ringlets. Much greater wasthe woman's astonishment when she combed them, for at every instantthere rolled out of their hair pearls, rubies, diamonds, and emeralds.She told her husband of it, who was not less surprised than herself.

  "I am very tired," said he, "of a Corsair's life, and if the locks ofthose little children continue to supply us with such treasures, I willgive up roaming the seas." The Corsair's wife, whose name was Corsine,was enchanted at this, and loved the four infants so much the more forit. She named the Princess, Belle-Etoile, her eldest brother,Petit-Soleil, the second, Heureux, and the son of Brunette, Cheri.

  As they grew older, the Corsair applied himself seriously to theireducation, as he felt convinced there was some great mystery attached totheir birth.

  The Corsair and his wife had never told the story of the four children,who passed for their own. They were exceedingly united, but Prince Cherientertained for Princess Belle-Etoile a greater affection than the othertwo. The moment she expressed a wish for anything, he would attempt evenimpossibilities to gratify her.

  One day Belle-Etoile overheard the Corsair and his wife talking. "When Ifell in with them," said the Corsair, "I saw nothing that could give meany idea of their birth." "I suspect," said Corsine, "that Cheri is nottheir brother, he has neither star nor neck-chain." Belle-Etoileimmediately ran and told this to the three Princes, who resolved tospeak to the Corsair and his wife, and ask them to let them set out todiscover the secret of their birth. After some remonstrance they gainedtheir consent. A beautiful vessel was prepared, and the young Princessand the three Princes set out. They determined to sail to the very spotwhere the Corsair had found them, and made preparations for a grandsacrifice to the fairies, for their protection and guidance. They wereabout to immolate a turtle-dove, but the Princess saved its life, andlet it fly. At this moment a syren issued from the water, and said,"Cease your anxiety, let your vessel go where it will; land where itstops." The vessel now sailed more quickly. Suddenly they came in sightof a city so beautiful that they were anxious their vessel should enterthe port. Their wishes were accomplished; they landed, and the shore ina moment was crowded with people, who had observed the magnificence oftheir ship. They ran and told the King the news, and as the grandterrace of the Palace looked out upon the sea-shore, he speedilyrepaired thither. The Princes, hearing the people say, "There is theKing," looked up, and made a profound obeisance. He looked earnestly atthem, and was as much charmed by the Princess's beauty, as by thehandsome mien of the young Princes. He ordered his equerry to offer themhis protection, and everything that they might require.

  The King was so interested about these four children, that he went intothe chamber of the Queen, his mother, to tell her of the wonderful starswhich shone upon their foreheads, and everything that he admired inthem. She was thunderstruck at it, and was terribly afraid that Feintisehad betrayed her, and sent her secretary to enquire about them. What hetold her of their ages confirmed her suspicions. She sent for Feintise,and threatened to kill her. Feintise, half dead with terror, confessedall; but promised, if she spared her, that she would still find means todo away with them. The Queen was appeased; and, indeed, old Feintise didall she could for her own sake. Taking a guitar, she went and sat downopposite the Princess's window, and sang a song which Belle-Etoilethought so pretty that she invited her into her chamber. "My fairchild," said Feintise, "Heaven has made you very lovely, but you yetwant one thing--the dancing-water. If I had possessed it, you would nothave seen a white hair upon my head, nor a wrinkle on my face. Alas! Iknew this secret too late; my charms had already faded." "But whereshall I find this dancing-water?" asked Belle-Etoile. "It is in theluminous forest," said Feintise. "You have three brothers; does not anyone of them love you sufficiently to go and fetch some?" "My brothersall love me," said the Princess, "but there is one of them who would notrefuse me anything." The perfidious old woman retired, delighted athaving been so successful. The Princes, returning from the chase, foundBelle-Etoile engrossed by the advice of Feintise. Her anxiety about itwas so apparent, that Cheri, who thought of nothing but pleasing her,soon found out the cause of it, and, in spite of her entreaties, hemounted his white horse, and set out in search of the dancing-water.When supper-time arrived, and the Princess did not see her brotherCheri, she could neither eat nor drink; and desired he might be soughtfor everywhere, and sent messengers to find him and bring him back.

  The wicked Feintise was very anxious to know the result of her advice;and when she heard that Cheri had already set out, she was delighted,and reported to the Queen-Mother all that had passed. "I admit, Madam,"said she, "that I can no longer doubt that they are the same fourchildren: but one of the Princes is already gone to seek thedancing-water, and will no doubt perish in the attempt, and I shall findsimilar means to do away with all of them."

  The plan she had adopted with regard to Prince Cheri was one of the mostcertain, for the dancing-water was not easily to be obtained; it was sonotorious from the misfortunes which occurred to all who sought it, thatevery one
knew the road to it. He was eight days without taking anyrepose but in the woods. At the end of this period he began to suffervery much from the heat; but it was not the heat of the sun, and he didnot know the cause of it, until from the top of a mountain he perceivedthe luminous forest; all the trees were burning without being consumed,and casting out flames to such a distance that the country around was adry desert.

  At this terrible scene he descended, and more than once gave himself upfor lost. As he approached this great fire he was ready to die withthirst; and perceiving a spring falling into a marble basin, he alightedfrom his horse, approached it, and stooped to take up some water in thelittle golden vase which he had brought with him, when he saw aturtle-dove drowning in the fountain.