the rock; she recognised her brothers' horses grazing; at sight of them her grief was renewed, she sat down, and cried bitterly for some time; but the little green bird said so many beautiful things, so consolatory to the unfortunate, that there was no afflicted heart it did not relieve. She therefore dried her tears, and began to sing so loud, and so well, that the Princes had the pleasure of hearing her in their enchanted hall.
From that moment they felt there was some hope. The green bird that tells everything listened, and looked about to find where the voice came from; it perceived the Princess, who had taken off her helmet, that she might sleep more comfortably, and the dove, who kept flying around her. At this sight it gently descended, and came to peck it, but it had not torn out three feathers, before it was taken itself.
"Ah! what would you do with me?" it said; "what have I done to you, that you should come from such a distance to render me miserable? Grant me my liberty, I entreat you, and I will do anything you wish in exchange." "I wish," said Belle-Etoile, "that thou wouldst restore my three brothers to me. I know not where they are, but as their horses are feeding near this rock, I am sure thou detainest them somewhere hereabouts." "Under my left wing there is a red feather, pull it out," said the bird, "and touch the rock with it." The Princess hastened to do as it instructed her; at the same instant she saw such lightning, and heard such a roar of thunder and wind together, that she was dreadfully frightened. Notwithstanding her alarm she still kept tight hold of the green bird, thinking it might escape her; she touched the rock again with the red feather, and the third time it split from the top to the bottom: she entered with a victorious air the hall in which stood the three Princes with many others; she ran towards Cheri,—he did not know her in her helmet and male attire, and as the enchantment was not yet ended, he could neither speak nor move. The Princess, seeing this, put fresh questions to the green bird, to which it replied that she must rub the eyes and mouth of all those she wished to disenchant with the red feather, which good office she did to several kings and sovereign personages, and especially to our three Princes.
Grateful for so important a benefit, they all threw them-
