Sleeping beauty

Once upon a time there lived a King and a Queen, who said to each other every day of their lives, "How I wish we had a child!" and yet they had none. But it happened once when the Queen was bathing, a Frog came and said to her.

"Your wish shall be fufilled; before a year has gone by, you shall bring a daughter into the world."

And as the Frog fortold so it happened. The Queen bore a daughter so beautiful that the King could not contain himself for joy, and he prepared a great feast. Not only did he invite his relations and friends, but also the wise fairies, that they might be kind and favourable to the child.

There were thirteen wise fairies in his kingdom, but as the King had only twelve golden plates for them to eat from, one of them had to be left out. However, the feast was celebrated, and as it drew to an end, the wise fairies came forward to present their gifts. One bestowed virtue, one beauty, a third riches, and so on, whatever there is in the world to wish for.

And when eleven of the wise fairies had had their say, in came the uninvited thirteenth, burning to revenge herself, and she cried out with a loud voice,

"When she is fifteen the Princess shall prick herself with a spindle and shall fall down dead."

And without speaking one more word she turned away and left the hall. Everyone was terrified at her saying, when the twelth fairy came forward, for she had not yet bestowed her gift. Though she could not do away with the evil prophecy, yet she could soften it, so she said:

"The princess shall not die but fall into a deep sleep for a hundred years."

Even so the King ordered that all the spindles in his kingdom should be burnt up.

The young girl whose name was Rosamond, grew up, adorned with all the gifts of the wise fairies; and she was so lovely, modest, sweet, and kind and clever, that no one who saw her could help loving her.

If you would like to read the rest of this lovely story, the book can be found at:-
Dover Publications

Text and Images are Copyright Free from Dover.

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