s were filled with peacocks, who made such a screeching that
they were to be heard at least two leagues off. The king now said to his
brother: "Should the king of the peacocks be himself a peacock, he will
be an odd husband for our sister. What a pity it is she ever imagined
that there existed such a king!" On reaching the capital, however, they
found it inhabited by men and women, who wore dresses made of peacocks'
feathers; and presently they saw the king coming out of his palace, in a
beautiful little golden carriage studded with diamonds, and drawn by
twelve peacocks. He was extremely handsome, and wore his fine, long,
curly flaxen hair flowing on his shoulders, surmounted by a crown of
peacocks' feathers. On perceiving the two strangers he stopped the
carriage, and inquired what had brought them to his kingdom. The king
and prince then said they came from afar to shew him a beautiful
portrait, and accordingly drew forth Rosetta's likeness. The king of the
peacocks after having attentively examined it, declared he could not
believe there really existed so beautiful a maiden in the world. Upon
which the prince informed him that his brother was a king, and that the
original of the portrait was their sister, the princess Rosetta, who was
a hundred times more beautiful than here represented, and that they came
to offer her to him in marriage, with a bushel of golden crowns for her
portion. "I should willingly marry her," replied the king of the
peacocks, "but I must insist upon her being quite as beautiful as the
picture; and, should I find her inferior in the slightest respect, I
will put you both to death." "Agreed!" cried the brothers. "Well, then,"
said the king, "you must go to prison till the princess arrives." This
they willingly did, and then wrote off to their sister to come
immediately to marry the king of the peacocks, who was dying of love for
her; but they said nothing about their being shut up, for fear of
alarming her.

The princess was half wild with joy when she heard the king of the
peacocks was really found, and she lost no time in setting off with her
nurse, her foster-sister, and her little green dog Fretillon, who were
the only companions she chose to take with her. They put to sea in a
vessel loaded with a bushel of golden crowns, and with clothes enough
for ten years, supposing the princess put on two new dresses every day.

[Illustration]

During the passage, the nurse kept asking the pilot ho