.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, a carriage drawn by eight
white horses, with ostrich feathers on their heads, and golden bridles,
drove up to the door of the palace, and behind the carriage stood the
trusty Henry, the servant of the young Prince. When his master was
changed into a frog, trusty Henry had grieved so much that he had bound
three iron bands round his heart, for fear it should break with grief
and sorrow. But now that the carriage was ready to carry the young
Prince to his own country, the faithful Henry helped in the bride and
bridegroom, and placed himself in the seat behind, full of joy at his
master's release. They had not proceeded far when the Prince heard a
crack as if something had broken behind the carriage; so he put his head
out of the window and asked Henry what was broken, and Henry answered,
"It was not the carriage, my master, but a band which I bound round my
heart when it was in such grief because you were changed into a frog."

Twice afterwards on the journey there was the same noise, and each time
the Prince thought that it was some part of the carriage that had given
way; but it was only the breaking of the bands which bound the heart of
the trusty Henry, who was thenceforward free and happy.

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 mothe