“Princess Belle-Etoile” is a French literary fairy tale adapted for kids and illustrated by Walter Crane (originally written by Madame d’Aulnoy). The source for the tale was “Ancilotto, King of Provino,” by Giovanni Francesco Straparola. Other variants of this tale include an oral Italian version, “The Dancing Water, the Singing Apple, and the Speaking Bird”, the Spanish “The Bird of Truth”, the Russian “The Wicked Sisters”, and the Romanian “The Boys with the Golden Stars” and “A String of Pearls Twined with Golden Flowers”.
The first lines of the tale are:
“Once upon a time there were three Princess, named Rousette, Brunette, and Blondine, who lived in retirement with their mother, a Princess who had lost all her former grandeur. One day an old woman called and asked for a dinner, as this Princess was an excellent cook. After the meal was over, the old woman, who was a fairy, promised that their kindness should be rewarded, and immediately disappeared.”
The “Animedia Company” e-book edition (2013) contains the original colorful illustrations by Walter Crane, which were carefully restored by a publisher. This edition is modified especially for the e-book format.
