Page 35 - Princess Belle-Etoile and Prince Cherie

hands so great a treasure. They admired
together the wonderful stars, the chains of
gold that could not be taken off their necks,
and their long ringlets. Much greater was the
woman's astonishment when she combed
them, for at every instant there rolled out
pearls, rubies, diamonds, and emeralds of
various sizes and exceedingly fine. 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 of those little children
continue to supply us with such treasures, I
will give up roaming the seas, for my wealth
will be as great as that of our most celebrated

captains. The Corsair's wife, whose name was
Corsine, was enchanted at the resolution her
husband had come to, 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 the Princess, Cheri. The latter was much
handsomer than either of the other two boys,
so that, although he had neither star nor chain,

Corsine loved him more than she did his
cousins.

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