Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty Story

Many years ago, in a beautiful empire, there lived a king and Queen who just had one wish! They were always praying:

OH! Dear Lord! Pleas give us a child and we won’t need anything else in our lives anymore!

But one day, when the Queen was washing herself in the river, a frog came by and said:

Your wish will come true! You’ll be having a child in next year!

And as the frog forecasted, the Queen bore a beautiful daughter. The King was so excited that couldn’t prevent himself for throwing a big party and celebrate the holy birth of his daughter.

Also See the Story: The Emperor’s New Clothes

He invited not only his close friends and relatives, but also the wise women who he thought they would be kind and favorable toward the little princess.

He knew thirteen of these women were living in his empire, but he only had twelve golden plates, so he had to ignore one of them.

The feast was held gloriously. When the feast was about to finish, wise women gathered around princess and started to give her gifts.

one bestowed virtue, one beauty, a third riches, and so on, whatever there is in the world to wish for.

And when it was the eleventh turn to present her gift, the thirteenth woman, who has been not invited, entered, with the fire of revenge burning in her heart. She, without any hesitation, started yelling:

In her fifteenth birthday, your beautiful princess shall prick herself with a spindle and shall fall down dead!

And without saying anything else, she returned and left the palace! So the twelfth came forward, since she hadn’t bestowed her gift yet. She couldn’t perish the curse, but there was something she could still do:

The princess shall not die by touching the spindle, but she will fall into a sleep for a hundred years!

The King who was desperate to save his daughter, commanded to destroy all the spindles in the empire.

The princess grew up and all the gifts who had been given to her were shining in her appearance and personality.

She was so lovely, modest, sweet, and kind and clever, that no one who saw her could help loving her.

But in her fifteenth birthday, when she was alone in the castle, she got bored and started wandering around the castle, looking around every corner and room.

Suddenly she saw an old tower. She climbed the narrow winding stair which led to a little door, with a rusty key sticking out of the lock.

she turned the key, and the door opened, and there in the little room sat an old woman with a spindle, diligently spinning her flax.

Oh! Hello grandma! said the princess kindly! What are you doing?

I’m spinning!

Oh! I haven’t seen this tool before? What is it that spins so fast?

And meanwhile she took the spindle into her hand she began to spin! But in that very moment her hand touched the spindle, she passed out and lay in a deep sleep.

And this sleep fell upon the whole palace; the king and queen, who had returned and were in the great hall, fell fast asleep, and with them the whole court. The horses in their stalls, the dogs in the yard, the pigeons on the roof, the flies on the wall, the very fire that flickered on the hearth, became still, and slept like the rest.

Then round about that place there grew a hedge of thorns thicker every year, until at last the whole castle was hidden from view, and nothing of it could be seen but the vane on the roof.

From that moment, a rumour went overseas about a sleeping beauty, and from time to time, many prince came and tried to force their way through the hedge.

but it was impossible for them to do so, for the thorns held fast together like strong hands, and the young men were caught by them, and not being able to get free, there died a lamentable death.

Many years later, a prince came to the country. In his way, he heard from an old man that there is a sleeping beauty had slept for a hundred years, and with her the king and queen, and the whole court.

The old man had been told by the old man that many king’s sons had sought to pass the thorn-hedge, but had been caught and pierced by the thorns, and had died a miserable death.

But the young prince said with courage:

I will try my best, regardless. I will win the way through and I will meet the lovely princess.

The good old man tried to dissuade him, but he would not listen to his words. For now the hundred years were at an end, and the day had come when princess should be awakened.

When the prince arrived near the hedge of thorns, it was altered into a hedge of beautiful lovely flowers, which parted and bent aside to let him pass, and then closed behind him in a thick hedge.

When he reached the palace-yard, he saw the horses and dogs lying asleep, and on the roof the pigeons were sitting with their heads under their wings. And when he came indoors, the flies on the wall were asleep, the cook in the kitchen had his hand uplifted to strike the scullion.

Then he climbed higher, and saw in the hall the whole court lying asleep, and above them, on their thrones, slept the king and the queen. And still he went beyond, and all was so silent that he could hear his own breathing.

And at last he came to the tower, and went up the winding stair, and opened the door of the little room where princess lay. And when he saw her looking so lovely in her sleep, he could not turn away his eyes; and presently he stooped and kissed her.

And she awaked, and opened her eyes, and looked very kindly on him. And she got up, and they went forth together, and the king and the queen and whole court waked up, and gazed on each other with great eyes of wonderment.

And the horses in the yard got up and shook themselves, the hounds sprang up and wagged their tails, the pigeons on the roof drew their heads from under their wings, looked round, and flew into the field, the flies on the wall crept on a little farther, the kitchen fire leapt up and blazed, and cooked the meat, the joint on the spit began to roast, the cook gave the scullion such a box on the ear that he roared out.

Then the wedding of the Prince and princess was held with all glory, and they lived very happily ever after.

See More: 60+ Fairy Tales Stories for Kids