give 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 for
it. 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 their
education, as he felt convinced there was some great mystery attached to
their 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 Cheri
entertained for Princess Belle-Etoile a greater affection than the other
two. The moment she expressed a wish for anything, he would attempt even
impossibilities to gratify her.

One day Belle-Etoile overheard the Corsair and his wife talking. "When I
fell in with them," said the Corsair, "I saw nothing that could give me
any idea of their birth." "I suspect," said Corsine, "that Cheri is not
their brother, he has neither star nor neck-chain." Belle-Etoile
immediately ran and told this to the three Princes, who resolved to
speak to the Corsair and his wife, and ask them to let them set out to
discover the secret of their birth. After some remonstrance they gained
their consent. A beautiful vessel was prepared, and the young Princess
and the three Princes set out. They determined to sail to the very spot
where the Corsair had found them, and made preparations for a grand
sacrifice to the fairies, for their protection and guidance. They were
about to immolate a turtle-dove, but the Princess saved its life, and
let 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 it
stops." The vessel now sailed more quickly. Suddenly they came in sight