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.

[Illustration: JAKOB AND WILHELM GRIMM]

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.

[Illustration: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
FROM A DRAWING BY EDITH W. YAFFEE]

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.