Princess Belle-Etoile
Princess Belle-Etoile is a classic French fairy tale written by Madame d'Aulnoy. It tells the story of a beautiful princess who is cursed by an evil fairy. The curse causes her to be born with a star on her forehead, and she is forced to live in a tower in the middle of a forest. The princess is eventually discovered by a prince who falls in love with her and rescues her from the tower. The prince and princess marry and live happily ever after. However, the evil fairy is not finished with them yet. She casts a spell on the prince, turning him into a bear. The princess must now find a way to break the spell and save her beloved husband. She embarks on a quest to find the magical ingredients that will break the spell. Along the way, she meets a variety of magical creatures and faces many obstacles. In the end, the princess succeeds in breaking the spell and the prince is restored to his human form. The couple live happily ever after and the evil fairy is defeated.
By Madame d' Aulnoy · First published 1698 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Romance, Fantasy · 3,834 words
First lines
Once upon a time there were three Princesses, named Roussette, 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.
Shortly after, the King came that way, with his brother and the Lord Admiral. They were all so struck with the beauty of the three Princesses, that the King married the youngest, Blondine, his brother married Brunette, and the Lord Admiral married Roussette.
What this Textopian page supports
Princess Belle-Etoile is listed on Textopian as a short story by Madame d' Aulnoy, dated 1698 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Madame d' Aulnoy
- Date: 1698 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Romance, Fantasy
- Length: 3,834 words
- Structure: 1 section, 27 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Princess Belle-Etoile by Madame d' Aulnoy
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Princess Belle-Etoile?
- How does this short story by Madame d' Aulnoy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Princess Belle Etoile by Walter Crane
- The Magic Fishbone by Charles Dickens
- How The Fairy Violet Lost And Won Her Wings by Marianne L. B. Ker
- Grimms Fairy Tales by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Little Brown Hen Hears The Song Of The Nightingale by Jasmine Stone Van Dresser
- Beauty And The Beast by Gabrielle Suzanne Barbot De Villeneuve
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The title of the book, 'Princess Belle-Etoile', suggests that it is a fairy tale, as it is a story about a princess. The author, Madame d'Aulnoy, is known for writing fairy tales, so this is the most relevant genre for this book.
- Romance — The book is likely to contain romantic elements, as it is a story about a princess. Romance is a common theme in fairy tales, so this genre is also relevant to the book.
- Fantasy — Fantasy is a genre that often overlaps with fairy tales, as it often contains elements of magic and mythical creatures. As this book is a fairy tale, it is likely to contain some elements of fantasy.
Tags
Fairy tales · Folklore · France · Juvenile fiction · Princesses · belle · bird · brother · brunette · cheri · children · corsair