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Sleeping Beauty
Once there lived a king and Queen who held a great
feast to celebrate the birth of their baby daughter,
Briar Rose.
Invitations were sent to all the fairies to bless the
princess except to one as it was presumed that she was
dead. Each of them came to the king's feast bringing
special gifts for the little princes the fairies began
to give their gifts. "She shall be beautiful, "said the
first". "She shall be wise "said the second". "She shall
be kind , "said the third". Only one fairy was left to
give the gift when suddenly the room went dark then
after a great flash of light they same the fairy who was
left out.
She was furious as no one had invited her at the feast.
Then she said, "well heroes my blessing feast. Then she
said, " well heroes my blessing that on her sixteenth
birthday she will pick her finger on a spinning wheel
and die." Another flash of light and the fairy was gone.
Then another fairy who was there stepped forward. " My
gift for the princess in still left." "My gift to her is
life! When the spindle pricks her finger she will not
die but will fall into a deep sleep. That will last for
a hundred years. Only a kiss from her true love will
wake her.
The following day the king issued a proclamation,
ordering that all spinning wheels and spindles be
destroyed. Over the years the princess grew into a
lovely girl. On the sixteenth birthday everyone was
preparing for the Party. She decided to go exploring the
palace. "I wonder what is in the great south tower," she
said and made her way to it.
She saw a small door and there was a key on it. She
turned the key and the door opened she saw some stairs
and started climbing them. Meanwhile the king and Queen
started looking for the princes. Everyone had seen her
but nobody knew where she had been going. The princess
had reached the top of the tower, where she saw another
door that was slightly open. Then she heard a strange
whirring sound, which she had never heard before. She
went into the room and saw an old woman working at a
spinning label. "What are you doing? Asked Briar Rose,
the princess. "I have never seen one of those before,
what is it"? "Its a spinning wheel said the old woman
who was the wicked fairy in disguise.
The Princes asked her if she could try and spin on the
wheel, she sat on the stool in front of the wheel. As
soon as she touched the spindle., she picked her finger
and fell into a deep sleep. Suddenly everyone in the
place fell asleep the cooks who were preparing for the
party feel asleep over the stirring and tasting the
laundry maids fell asleep over their washing. Year
passed and from time to time a king's son would come to
the famous Brior hedge to try and find the mysterious
sleeping princess. But none got through.
One day a charming prince, asked some villagers. Where
can I find this hedge? Just beyond the village young sir
"said the villagers. The Prince went to strike at the
hedge, but where his sword met the throns great roses
bloomed instead. The curse was lifting and a path opened
for him. The prince entered the palace went to the tower
room and saw the princess fast asleep. He lent over and
gently kissed her. Brior rose, the princess eyelids
flickered and she woke up and fell in love with him. All
round the palace people began to wake up from their
sleep. The Prince and the princess got married. The
royal wedding lasted for several days ending with a
magnificent ball. The Prince and princess danced and
danced all night.
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