The Sleeping Beauty

: THE OLD FAIRY TALES
: Boys And Girls Bookshelf

ADAPTED FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM





The King and Queen of a faraway country once had a little daughter, who

was more beautiful than any child that had ever before been seen. Her

father and mother were so delighted that they proclaimed a public

holiday on her christening, and invited to act as godmothers the seven

good fairies who lived in the kingdom. Unfortunately, they forgot to

ask one ugly o
d fairy, who had remained shut up in her tower so many

years that people really had forgotten about her.



When the night of the christening arrived the castle was beautiful to

behold. Lights shone even to the highest tower; beautiful music sounded

from behind masses of fragrant flowers; splendidly dressed knights and

ladies were there to honor the little Princess; and the seven good

fairies smilingly gave her their gifts.



So excited and happy were all that no one noticed an old creature who

had slipped in and stood in the shadow looking on. This was the fairy

who had not been invited; and, in anger at the slight, she was waiting

her chance to make trouble.



"For my gift," said the first fairy, "I grant that the Princess shall

be the most beautiful person in the world."



"I give her the mind of an angel," said the second.



"She shall be grace itself," said the third.



"She shall dance like a goddess," said the fourth.



"Her voice shall equal the nightingale's," said the fifth.



"The art of playing on all musical instruments shall be hers," said

the sixth.



Now the wicked old enchantress thought that all seven good fairies had

spoken, so she stepped forth, her face distorted with hatred and envy,

and said: "So I am not thought good enough to be a guest here: you

despise me because I am old and ugly. I shall make a gift, and it shall

be a curse. When your fine young lady becomes sixteen she shall fall

asleep, and nothing you can do will be able to waken her."



Then with a horrid laugh the hag disappeared.



Horror seized the guests, and the party, which had been so gay, became

solemn indeed.



Then the seventh good fairy sprang up and said in silvery tones: "My

gift is yet to be laid before the Princess. I am young, and I can not

undo the evil that has befallen. But be not unhappy, for I grant that

on the day when the curse falls, every living thing in the castle shall

also fall asleep. Moreover, I grant that whenever there is a Prince who

is brave enough to be worthy of this lovely Princess, he shall find a

way to break the spell."



As the little girl grew older the words of the good fairies came true.

Not only was she beautiful and gifted, but she was so kind and

thoughtful that everyone loved her dearly.



At first they were very careful to tell her nothing of the wicked

fairy's curse, and then there were so many other things to think about

that people forgot all about the old fairy and her gift.



The sixteenth birthday arrived, and there was a very special

celebration to please the Princess. The castle was decorated more

beautifully, if possible, than on the night of the christening, and

everyone was dancing or laughing and as happy as could be. Suddenly the

old fairy stepped out from a shadow, as she had done years before, and

looking at the beautiful girl said, "Sleep." Immediately not one sound

or stir was in that gorgeous castle.



Now, you must forget for a bit all about the Sleeping Beauty, and hear

about a noble Prince who was born many years later in a kingdom not far

from this one. Not only was this Prince handsome and brave, but he was

so kind and good that people called him "Prince Winsome."



All his life he had heard terrible stories about an enchanted castle,

whose towers could be seen on a clear day far off above a dense forest.

It was said that the trees grew so close together in this forest that

when a knight attempted to force his way through, he always became

entangled in the branches and perished. Many young men were said to

have met this fate; so little by little people stopped trying to reach

the castle.



But the little Prince was courageous. "When I am sixteen, I shall start

out for the magic forest and rescue the beautiful maiden, whom, I am

sure, I shall find in the castle," he said.






True to his word, on his sixteenth birthday our Prince set off

eagerly on his adventure. His courtiers urged him not to go, and his

subjects pleaded with him, for they did not wish to lose their Prince.

They were afraid he would die in the forest they so dreaded. They did

not realize how difficulties and dangers give way before a brave,

true-hearted youth.



When Prince Winsome reached the edge of the dense forest it looked as

if no man could ever enter. Great trees grew close together with their

branches intertwined. So thick were they that the place looked as dark

as night. When Winsome came near, a marvelous thing happened. The

branches slowly untwined and the trees seemed to bend apart and make a

narrow pathway for his entrance. They closed immediately after him, so

that his followers were closed out and he went on alone. After a long

time he found himself in the courtyard of a great castle. There was not

a sound or a stir; the watchman stood sleeping at the gate, and the

guards were standing as if playing a game of dice, but all were sound

asleep.



Prince Winsome entered the castle hall and found it full of noble

ladies and knights, servants, waiting maids, flower girls, all

motionless and yet the flush of life on their cheeks. The dancers

seemed about to whirl away in the waltz; the musicians bent over

their violins; and a servant was in the act of passing cakes to the

guests--yet they all held the same fixed position, and had since that

day years before when sleep overcame them.



Advancing from room to room the same sight everywhere met our hero's

eyes, but his heart began to beat faster and faster, and he knew that

the object of his search was near. At last he entered the throne room

and there on an ivory throne, her head resting against a satin pillow,

was his longed-for Princess. She was so much more beautiful than he had

even imagined that he paused in rapture; then, crossing to her, he

knelt by her side and kissed her tenderly on the brow.



Then what do you think happened? The Princess smiled, drew a long

breath, opened her eyes slowly, and said: "Oh, my Prince! I knew you

would come." At the same moment the musicians went on just where they

had stopped playing so many years before; the dancers finished their

waltz; the servant offered the cakes; and no one but the Prince seemed

to think the proceeding strange at all.



The Sleeping Beauty and Prince Winsome were married at once, and lived

long and happily.



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