e kind before. She
looked around her, she went first here, then there, she picked the fruit
off the trees, and gathered flowers from the beds; while her little dog,
Fretillon, who was as green as a parrot, kept on running before her,
saying, yap, yap, yap! and jumping and cutting a thousand capers, and
everybody was amused at his ways. Presently he ran into a little wood,
whither the Princess followed him, and here her wonder was even greater
than before, when she saw a large peacock spreading out its tail. She
thought it so beautiful, so very beautiful, that she could not take her
eyes off it. The King and the Prince now joined her, and asked her what
delighted her so much. She pointed to the peacock, and asked them what
it was. They told her it was a bird, which was sometimes eaten. "What!"
she cried, "dare to kill and eat a beautiful bird like that! I tell you,
that I will marry no one but the King of the Peacocks, and when I am
their Queen I shall not allow anybody to eat them." The astonishment of
the King cannot be described. "But, dear sister," said he, "where would
you have us go to find the King of the Peacocks?" "Whither you please,
sire; but him, and him alone, will I marry."

Having come to this decision, she was now conducted by her brothers to
their castle; the peacock had to be brought and put into her room, so
fond was she of it. All the Court ladies who had not before seen Rosette
now hastened to greet her, and pay their respects to her. Some brought
preserves with them, some sugar, and others dresses of woven gold,
beautiful ribbons, dolls, embroidered shoes, pearls, and diamonds.
Everyone did their best to entertain her, and she was so well brought
up, so courteous, kissing their hands, curtseying when anything
beautiful was given to her, that there was not a lord or lady who did
not leave her presence gratified and charmed. While she was thus
occupied, the King and the Prince were turning over in their minds how
they should find the King of the Peacocks, if there was such a person in
the world to be found. They decided that they would have Rosette's
portrait painted; and when completed it was so life-like, that only
speech was wanting. Then they said to her, "Since you will marry no one
but the King of the Peacocks, we are going together to look for him, and
will traverse the whole world to try and find him for you. If we find
him, we shall be very glad. Meanwhile take care of our kingdom until we
re