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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 who
had lost all her former grandeur. One day an old woman called and asked
for a dinner, as this Princess was an excellent cook. After the meal was
over, the old woman, who was a fairy, promised that their kindness
should be rewarded, and immediately disappeared.

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

The good Fairy, who had brought all this about, also caused the young
Queen Blondine to have three lovely children, two boys and a girl, out
of whose hair fell fine jewels. Each had a brilliant star on the
forehead, and a rich chain of gold around the neck. At the same time
Brunette, her sister, gave birth to a handsome boy. Now the young Queen
and Brunette were much attached to each other, but Roussette was jealous
of both, and the old Queen, the King's mother, hated them. Brunette died
soon after the birth of her son, and the King was absent on a warlike