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576 after combing their heads till they were sore in order to leave as many jewels as they could to Corsine, they begged her to give them in return the strings of diamonds that were in their cradle. She went to fetch them from her cabinet, where she had kept them very carefully, and she fastened them all upon Belle-Etoile's dress, whom she embraced incessantly bathing her face with her tears.

Never was there so sad a separation; the Corsair and his wife thought it would kill them. Their grief did not arise from interested motives, for they had amassed so much treasure, that they did not wish for any more. Petit-Soleil, Heureux, Cheri, and Belle-Etoile, went on board the vessel. The Corsair had had one built for the voyage, and fitted up very magnificently; the mast was of ebony and cedar-wood, the ropes were of green silk mixed with gold, the sails of gold and green cloth, and the paintings were beautiful. As it sailed out of port, Cleopatra, with her Antony, and even the whole crew of Venus's Galley, would have lowered their flag to it. The Princess was seated under a rich canopy near the poop; her two brothers and her cousin stood close by her, looking more brilliant than the planets, and their stars threw out long dazzling rays of light. They determined to sail to the very spot where the Corsair had found them, and accordingly they did so. They made preparations for a grand sacrifice there to the gods and to the fairies, to obtain their protection and guidance to their birth-place. They were about to immolate a turtle-dove, but the compassionate Princess thought it so beautiful that she saved its life, and to preserve it from such a fate in future she let it fly:—"Depart," said she, "little bird of Venus; and if, some day, I should have need of thee, forget not the kindness I have shown thee." The turtle-dove flew away.

The sacrifice ended, they commenced so charming a concert, that it seemed as though all nature kept profound silence to listen to them: the waves were still; there was not a breath of wind; Zephyr alone dallied with the Princess's hair, and disarranged her veil slightly. At this moment a syren issued from the water, who sang so well, that the Princess and her brothers were charmed with her. After singing several airs, she turned towards them, and said. "Cease your anxiety, let your vessel go where it will; land