Illustration]

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

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Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had no children. They
longed very much for a child; and when at last they had a little
daughter they were both delighted, and great rejoicings took place.

When the time came for the little Princess to be christened, the King
made a grand feast and invited all but one of the fairies in his kingdom
to be godmothers. There happened to be thirteen fairies in the kingdom;
but as the King had only twelve gold plates, he had to leave one of
them out.

The twelve fairies that were invited came to the christening, and
presented the little Princess with the best gifts in their possession.
One gave her beauty, one gave her wisdom, another grace, another
goodness, until all but one had presented their offerings. Just as the
last fairy was about to step forward and offer her gift, there came a
tremendous knocking at the door, and before anybody could get there to
open it, it was burst open, and in came the thirteenth fairy, in a
furious rage at not having been invited to the feast.

When she saw all the gifts which the other fairies had presented the
child, she laughed and exclaimed:

"A lot of good all this beauty and virtue and wealth will do to you, my
pretty Princess! You shall pay for the slight your Royal Father has put
upon me!" Then, turning to the terrified King and Queen, she said, in a
loud voice:

"When the Princess is fifteen years old she shall prick her finger with
a spindle and die!" Having said this she flew away as noisily as she
came.

The King and Queen were in despair, and the courtiers stood aghast at
the terrible disaster; while the little Princess began to cry piteously,
as if she knew the fate in store for her. Then the twelfth fairy stepped
forward.

"Do not be afraid," she said, "I have not yet given my gift. I cannot
undo the wicked spell, but I can soften the evil. The Princess, on her
fifteenth birthday, shall prick her finger with a spindle, but she shall
not die. Instead, she shall fall asleep for a hundred years."

"Alas!" cried the Queen, "what comfort will that be to us? Long before
the hundred years are past we shall be dead, and our darling child will
be as lost to us as if she were indeed to die!"

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"I can make that right," said the fairy. "When the Princess falls
asleep, you shall sleep, too; and awaken with her when the hundred
years are passed."

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