Sleeping Beauty (Story)

There once lived a king and queen who had everything. Everything
That is, except the one thing they really wanted: a baby daughter
When at last a baby girl was born to them, they arranged a
Magnificent christening party. All the most important people
Were invited, together with the twelve fairies who lived in
The land. There were actually thirteen fairies, but no one
Had seen the other one for many years, and to be perfectly honest
The king and queen just forgot to send her an invitation

On the day of the party, the twelve good fairies went over to the baby
Princess as she lay in her cradle, and one by one they offered her
Their gifts: wisdom, beauty, goodness, happiness - in fact
Everything that the king and queen could have wished
For their baby daughter. Then suddenly a loud cackling
Laugh echoed through the corridors of the palace. The
Door was flung open and in came the thirteenth fairy

"So you decided not to invite me, did you?" she cried. "Thought
I might spoil your nice little party, I suppose. Well, you were
Right!" She hobbled over to the cradle and stared down at the
Baby. "This is the gift that I shall give her," she said. "
On her sixteenth birthday your daughter will prick her finger on
A spindle and die. That'll teach you to forget about me!" And
With a triumphant howl of glee she vanished in a puff of smoke

Silence fell over the room. The guests stared at one another in
Horror. What a terrible thing to have happened! The poor queen
Burst into tears, but at that moment the twelve good fairies spoke
"Do not despair, Your Majesty," she said. "I have not yet given
My gift to the baby. My magic is not strong enough to break the
Thirteenth fairy's evil spell. The princess will still prick
Her finger on the spindle, but she will not die. Instead she
And everyone else in the castle, will sleep for a hundred years."

The king immediately ordered that every spindle and every
Spinning wheel in the kingdom be destroyed. Once this order
Had been carried out, they were sure that the spell could not
Work, and the princess grew up into a beautiful, happy child

On her sixteenth birthday the king and queen arranged a
Party for her at one of their castles in the country. The
Princess was dressed in the finest clothes, and while she
Waited for the guests to arrive she decided to explore the
Castle. She walked up a long spiral staircase, right up to
The top turret, and found herself facing a heavy wooden door

"Come in, my dear," called a voice, and the surprised princess
Opened the door and went inside. She found herself in a small
Circular room. An old lady was sitting on a stool in front of a
Whirring machine that had a large wheel on the side. The princess had
Never before seen such a machine, and she asked what it was called

"Why, it's a spinning wheel, my dear," said the old woman
"Would you like to try?" and she held out the spindle
The princess took it, but the moment it touched her hand
She pricked her finger, slid gently to the floor, and to
The sound of the witch's laughter fell into a deep sleep

Everyone else in the castle did the same. The king and queen in
The throne room, the cooks in the kitchen, the gardeners, the
Grooms with their horses in the stables - in fact, every living
Thing fell asleep, and complete silence descended over the castle

A thick forest of brambles and briars grew up around the castle
Walls. Many brave men tried to force their way through, but none
Succeeded, and as time went by the true story was forgotten

A hundred years had passed when one morning a handsome prince
Came riding by. He saw the castle towers rising from the
Forest and asked a passing woodcutter who it belonged to

"I don't rightly know for sure, Your Highness," replied the woodcutter
. "Some say it's owned by a wicked ogre who keeps a princess captive
Inside. He's said to be as big and as strong as fifteen giants."

The young prince was brave as well as handsome, and he decided to

Find out for himself if the story was true. He drew his sword and
Began to hack away through the thorny bushes. As fast as he cut
Them down they seemed to grow again, as if by magic. But the prince
Struggled on and eventually arrived in the courtyard of the castle
He stepped over the sleeping men and animals and went into the
Castle itself. On and on he went, passing the sleeping people and
Up the spiral staircase to the turret room. There lay the sleeping
Princess. She was so lovely that the prince knelt down beside her
And gently kissed her. At the touch of his lips the princess awoke
And as they gazed at one another the two young people fell in love

The whole castle came to life. People awoke and carried on with
The jobs they had started a hundred years before, and the
Prince and princess were married and lived happily ever after