of the palace, except the king and queen--governesses, ladies of
honor, waiting-maids, gentlemen ushers, cooks, kitchen-girls, pages,
footmen, down to the horses that were in the stables and the grooms
that attended them--she touched each and all. Nay, with kind
consideration for the feelings of the princess, she even touched the
little fat lapdog Puffy, who had laid himself down beside his
mistress on her splendid bed. He, like all the rest, fell fast asleep
in a moment. The very spits that were before the kitchen fire ceased
turning, and the fire itself went out, and everything became as silent
as if it were the middle of the night, or as if the palace were a
palace of the dead.

The king and queen--having kissed their daughter and wept over her a
little, but not much, she looked so sweet and content--departed from
the castle, giving orders that it was to be approached no more. The
command was unnecessary; for in one quarter of an hour there sprung up
around it a wood so thick and thorny that neither beasts nor men could
attempt to penetrate there. Above this dense mass of forest could only
be perceived the top of the high tower where the lovely princess
slept.

A great many changes happen in a hundred years. The king, who never
had a second child, died, and his throne passed into another royal
family. So entirely was the story of the poor princess forgotten, that
when the reigning king's son, being one day out hunting and stopped in
the chase by this formidable wood, inquired what wood it was, and what
were those towers which he saw appearing out of the midst of it, no
one could answer him. At length an old peasant was found who
remembered having heard his grandfather say to his father, that in
this tower was a princess, beautiful as the day, who was doomed to
sleep there for one hundred years, until awakened by a king's son, her
destined bridegroom.

At this the young prince, who had the spirit of a hero, determined to
find out the truth for himself. Spurred on by both generosity and
curiosity, he leaped from his horse and began to force his way through
the thick wood. To his amazement the stiff branches all gave way, and
the ugly thorns sheathed themselves of their own accord, and the
brambles buried themselves in the earth to let him pass. This done,
they closed behind him, allowing none of his suite to follow: but,
ardent and young, he went boldly on alone. The first thing he saw was
enough to smite him with