she
received this message. She told everybody that the King of the Peacocks
had been found, and that he wanted to marry her. Bonfires were lit, and
guns fired, and quantities of sweetmeats and sugar were eaten; everyone
who came to see the Princess, during the three days before her
departure, was given bread-and-butter and jam, rolled wafers, and negus.
After having thus dispensed hospitality to her visitors, she presented
her beautiful dolls to her best friends, and handed over the government
to the wisest elders of the town, begging them to look well after
everything, to spend little, and to save up money for the King on his
return. She also prayed them to take care of her peacock, for with her
she only took her nurse, and her foster-sister, and her little green
dog, Fretillon. They set out in a boat on the sea, carrying with them
the bushel of golden crowns, and sufficient clothes for two changes a
day for ten years. They made merry on their voyage, laughing and
singing, and the nurse kept on asking the boatman if they were nearing
the Kingdom of the Peacocks; for a long time, all he said was, "No, no,
not yet." Then at last, when she asked again, "Are we anywhere near it
now?" he answered, "We shall soon be there, very soon." Once more she
said, "Are we near, are we anywhere near it now?" and he said, "Yes, we
are now within reach of shore." On hearing this, the nurse went to the
end of the boat, and sitting down beside the boatman, said to him, "If
you like, you can be rich for the remainder of your life." He replied,
"I should like nothing better." She continued, "If you like, you can
earn good money." "That would suit me very well," he answered. "Well,"
she went on, "then to-night, when the Princess is asleep, you must help
me throw her into the sea. After she is drowned, I will dress my
daughter in her fine clothes, and we will take her to the King of the
Peacocks, who will only be too pleased to marry her; and as a reward to
you, we will give you as many diamonds as you care to possess." The
boatman was very much astonished at this proposal; he told the nurse
that it was a pity to drown such a pretty Princess, and that he felt
compassion for her; but the nurse fetched a bottle of wine and made him
drink so much, that he had no longer any power to refuse.

Night having come, the Princess went to bed as usual, her little
Fretillon lying at her feet, not even stirring one of his paws. Rosette
slept soundly, but th