Sleeping Beauty

There were formerly a king and a queen, who were so

sorry that they had no children; so sorry that it cannot

be expressed. They went to all the waters in the world;

vows, pilgrimages, all ways were tried, and all to no

purpose.

At last, however, the Queen had a daughter. There was

a very fine christening; and the Princess had for her

god-mothers all the fairies they could find in the whole

kingdom (they found seven), that every one of them might

give her a gift, as was the custom of fairies in those days.

By this means the Princess had all the perfections imaginable.

After the ceremonies of the christening were over, all

the company returned to the King's palace, where was

prepared a great feast for the fairies. There was placed

before every one of them a magnificent cover with a case

of massive gold, wherein were a spoon, knife, and fork, all

of pure gold set with diamonds and rubies. But as they

were all sitting down at table they saw come into the hall

a very old fairy, whom they had not invited, because it

was above fifty years since she had been out of a certain

tower, and she was believed to be either dead or enchanted.

The King ordered her a cover, but could not furnish her

with a case of gold as the others, because they had only

seven made for the seven fairies. The old Fairy fancied

she was slighted, and muttered some threats between her

teeth. One of the young fairies who sat by her overheard

how she grumbled; and, judging that she might give the

little Princess some unlucky gift, went, as soon as they

rose from table, and hid herself behind the hangings, that

she might speak last, and repair, as much as she could, the

evil which the old Fairy might intend.

In the meanwhile all the fairies began to give their gifts

to the Princess. The youngest gave her for gift that she

should be the most beautiful person in the world; the

next, that she should have the wit of an angel; the third,

that she should have a wonderful grace in everything she

did; the fourth, that she should dance perfectly well; the

fifth, that she should sing like a nightingale; and the

sixth, that she should play all kinds of music to the

utmost perfection.

The old Fairy's turn coming next, with a head shaking

more with spite than age, she said that the Princess

should have her hand pierced with a spindle and die of

the wound. This terrible gift made the whole company

tremble, and everybody fell a-crying.

At this very instant the young Fairy came out from

behind the hangings, and spake these words aloud:

"Assure yourselves, O King and Queen, that your

daughter shall not die of this disaster. It is true, I have

no power to undo entirely what my elder has done. The

Princess shall indeed pierce her hand with a spindle; but,

instead of dying, she shall only fall into a profound sleep,

which shall last a hundred years, at the expiration of

which a king's son shall come and awake her."

The King, to avoid the misfortune foretold by the old

Fairy, caused immediately proclamation to be made,

whereby everybody was forbidden, on pain of death, to

spin with a distaff and spindle, or to have so much as any

spindle in their houses. About fifteen or sixteen years

after, the King and Queen being gone to one of their houses

of pleasure, the young Princess happened one day to

divert herself in running up and down the palace; when

going up from one apartment to another, she came into

a little room on the top of the tower, where a good old

woman, alone, was spinning with her spindle. This good

woman had never heard of the King's proclamation

against spindles.

"What are you doing there, goody?" said the Princess.

"I am spinning, my pretty child," said the old woman,

who did not know who she was.

"Ha!" said the Princess, "this is very pretty; how do

you do it? Give it to me, that I may see if I can do so."

She had no sooner taken it into her hand than, whether

being very hasty at it, somewhat unhandy, or that the

decree of the Fairy had so ordained it, it ran into her

hand, and she fell down in a swoon.

The good old woman, not knowing very well what to do

in this affair, cried out for help. People came in from

every quarter in great numbers; they threw water upon

the Princess's face, unlaced her, struck her on the palms

of her hands, and rubbed her temples with Hungary-water;

but nothing would bring her to herself.

And now the King, who came up at the noise, bethought

himself of the prediction of the fairies, and, judging very

well that this must necessarily come to pass, since the

fairies had said it, caused the Princess to be carried into

the finest apartment in his palace, and to be laid upon a

bed all embroidered with gold and silver.

One would have taken her for a little angel, she was so

very beautiful; for her swooning away had not diminished

one bit of her complexion; her cheeks were carnation, and

her lips were coral; indeed, her eyes were shut, but she

was heard to breathe softly, which satisfied those about

her that she was not dead. The King commanded that

they should not disturb her, but let her sleep quietly till

her hour of awaking was come.

The good Fairy who had saved her life by condemning

her to sleep a hundred years was in the kingdom of

Matakin, twelve thousand leagues off, when this accident

befell the Princess; but she was instantly informed of it

by a little dwarf, who had boots of seven leagues, that is,

boots with which he could tread over seven leagues of

ground in one stride. The Fairy came away immediately,

and she arrived, about an hour after, in a fiery chariot

drawn by dragons.

The King handed her out of the chariot, and she

approved everything he had done, but as she had very great

foresight, she thought when the Princess should awake

she might not know what to do with herself, being all

alone in this old palace; and this was what she did: she

touched with her wand everything in the palace (except

the King and Queen)--governesses, maids of honor, ladies

of the bedchamber, gentlemen, officers, stewards, cooks,

undercooks, scullions, guards, with their beefeaters,

pages, footmen; she likewise touched all the horses which

were in the stables, pads as well as others, the great dogs

in the outward court and pretty little Mopsey too, the

Princess's little spaniel, which lay by her on the bed.

Immediately upon her touching them they all fell

asleep, that they might not awake before their mistress

and that they might be ready to wait upon her when she

wanted them. The very spits at the fire, as full as they

could hold of partridges and pheasants, did fall asleep

also. All this was done in a moment. Fairies are not long

in doing their business.

And now the King and the Queen, having kissed their

dear child without waking her, went out of the palace and

put forth a proclamation that nobody should dare to

come near it.

This, however, was not necessary, for in a quarter of an

hour's time there grew up all round about the park such

a vast number of trees, great and small, bushes and

brambles, twining one within another, that neither man

nor beast could pass through; so that nothing could be

seen but the very top of the towers of the palace; and

that, too, not unless it was a good way off. Nobody;

doubted but the Fairy gave herein a very extraordinary

sample of her art, that the Princess, while she continued

sleeping, might have nothing to fear from any curious

people.

When a hundred years were gone and passed the son of

the King then reigning, and who was of another family

from that of the sleeping Princess, being gone a-hunting

on that side of the country, asked:

What those towers were which he saw in the middle of

a great thick wood?

Everyone answered according as they had heard. Some

said:

That it was a ruinous old castle, haunted by spirits.

Others, That all the sorcerers and witches of the

country kept there their sabbath or night's meeting.

The common opinion was: That an ogre lived there, and

that he carried thither all the little children he could

catch, that he might eat them up at his leisure, without

anybody being able to follow him, as having himself only

the power to pass through the wood.

The Prince was at a stand, not knowing what to

believe, when a very good countryman spake to him thus:

"May it please your royal highness, it is now about

fifty years since I heard from my father, who heard my

grandfather say, that there was then in this castle a

princess, the most beautiful was ever seen; that she must

sleep there a hundred years, and should be waked by a

king's son, for whom she was reserved."

The young Prince was all on fire at these words,

believing, without weighing the matter, that he could put

an end to this rare adventure; and, pushed on by love and

honor, resolved that moment to look into it.

Scarce had he advanced toward the wood when all the

great trees, the bushes, and brambles gave way of themselves

to let him pass through; he walked up to the castle

which he saw at the end of a large avenue which he went

into; and what a little surprised him was that he saw

none of his people could follow him, because the trees

closed again as soon as he had passed through them.

However, he did not cease from continuing his way; a

young and amorous prince is always valiant.

He came into a spacious outward court, where everything

he saw might have frozen the most fearless person

with horror. There reigned all over a most frightful

silence; the image of death everywhere showed itself, and

there was nothing to be seen but stretched-out bodies of

men and animals, all seeming to be dead. He, however,

very well knew, by the ruby faces and pimpled noses of

the beefeaters, that they were only asleep; and their

goblets, wherein still remained some drops of wine, showed

plainly that they fell asleep in their cups.

He then crossed a court paved with marble, went up

the stairs and came into the guard chamber, where guards

were standing in their ranks, with their muskets upon

their shoulders, and snoring as loud as they could. After

that he went through several rooms full of gentlemen and

ladies, all asleep, some standing, others sitting. At last

he came into a chamber all gilded with gold, where he

saw upon a bed, the curtains of which were all open, the

finest sight was ever beheld--a princess, who appeared

to be about fifteen or sixteen years of age, and whose

bright and, in a manner, resplendent beauty, had somewhat

in it divine. He approached with trembling and

admiration, and fell down before her upon his knees.

And now, as the enchantment was at an end, the

Princess awaked, and looking on him with eyes more tender

than the first view might seem to admit of:

"Is it you, my Prince?" said she to him. "You have

waited a long while."

The Prince, charmed with these words, and much more

with the manner in which they were spoken, knew not

how to show his joy and gratitude; he assured her that he

loved her better than he did himself; their discourse was

not well connected, they did weep more than talk--little

eloquence, a great deal of love. He was more at a loss

than she, and we need not wonder at it; she had time to

think on what to say to him; for it is very probable

(though history mentions nothing of it) that the good

Fairy, during so long a sleep, had given her very agreeable

dreams. In short, they talked four hours together, and

yet they said not half what they had to say.

In the meanwhile all the palace awaked; everyone

thought upon their particular business, and as all of them

were not in love they were ready to die for hunger. The

chief lady of honor, being as sharp set as other folks,

grew very impatient, and told the Princess aloud that

supper was served up. The Prince helped the Princess to

rise; she was entirely dressed, and very magnificently, but

his royal highness took care not to tell her that she was

dressed like his great-grandmother, and had a point band

peeping over a high collar; she looked not a bit less charming

and beautiful for all that.

They went into the great hall of looking-glasses, where

they supped, and were served by the Princess's officers,

the violins and hautboys played old tunes, but very

excellent, though it was now above a hundred years since

they had played; and after supper, without losing any

time, the lord almoner married them in the chapel of the

castle, and the chief lady of honor drew the curtains.

They had but very little sleep--the Princess had no

occasion; and the Prince left her next morning to return

to the city, where his father must needs have been in pain

for him. The Prince told him:

That he lost his way in the forest as he was hunting,

and that he had lain in the cottage of a charcoal-burner,

who gave him cheese and brown bread.

The King, his father, who was a good man, believed

him; but his mother could not be persuaded it was true;

and seeing that he went almost every day a-hunting, and

that he always had some excuse ready for so doing, though

he had lain out three or four nights together, she began

to suspect that he was married, for he lived with the

Princess above two whole years, and had by her two

children, the eldest of which, who was a daughter, was named

Morning, and the youngest, who was a son, they called

Day, because he was a great deal handsomer and more

beautiful than his sister.

The Queen spoke several times to her son, to inform

herself after what manner he did pass his time, and that

in this he ought in duty to satisfy her. But he never

dared to trust her with his secret; he feared her, though

he loved her, for she was of the race of the Ogres, and the

King would never have married her had it not been for

her vast riches; it was even whispered about the Court

that she had Ogreish inclinations, and that, whenever she

saw little children passing by, she had all the difficulty in

the world to avoid falling upon them. And so the Prince

would never tell her one word.

But when the King was dead, which happened about

two years afterward, and he saw himself lord and master,

he openly declared his marriage; and he went in great

ceremony to conduct his Queen to the palace. They made

a magnificent entry into the capital city, she riding

between her two children.

Soon after the King went to make war with the Emperor

Contalabutte, his neighbor. He left the government

of the kingdom to the Queen his mother, and

earnestly recommended to her care his wife and children.

He was obliged to continue his expedition all the summer,

and as soon as he departed the Queen-mother sent her

daughter-in-law to a country house among the woods,

that she might with the more ease gratify her horrible

longing.

Some few days afterward she went thither herself, and

said to her clerk of the kitchen:

"I have a mind to eat little Morning for my dinner to-morrow."

"Ah! madam," cried the clerk of the kitchen.

"I will have it so," replied the Queen (and this she

spoke in the tone of an Ogress who had a strong desire to

eat fresh meat), "and will eat her with a sauce Robert."

The poor man, knowing very well that he must not play

tricks with Ogresses, took his great knife and went up into

little Morning's chamber. She was then four years old,

and came up to him jumping and laughing, to take him

about the neck, and ask him for some sugar-candy. Upon

which he began to weep, the great knife fell out of his

hand, and he went into the back yard, and killed a little

lamb, and dressed it with such good sauce that his

mistress assured him that she had never eaten anything so

good in her life. He had at the same time taken up little

Morning, and carried her to his wife, to conceal her in the

lodging he had at the bottom of the courtyard.

About eight days afterward the wicked Queen said to

the clerk of the kitchen, "I will sup on little Day."

He answered not a word, being resolved to cheat her as

he had done before. He went to find out little Day, and

saw him with a little foil in his hand, with which he was

fencing with a great monkey, the child being then only

three years of age. He took him up in his arms and carried

him to his wife, that she might conceal him in her chamber

along with his sister, and in the room of little Day cooked

up a young kid, very tender, which the Ogress found to be

wonderfully good.

This was hitherto all mighty well; but one evening this

wicked Queen said to her clerk of the kitchen:

"I will eat the Queen with the same sauce I had with

her children."

It was now that the poor clerk of the kitchen despaired

of being able to deceive her. The young Queen was turned

of twenty, not reckoning the hundred years she had been

asleep; and how to find in the yard a beast so firm was

what puzzled him. He took then a resolution, that he

might save his own life, to cut the Queen's throat; and

going up into her chamber, with intent to do it at once, he

put himself into as great fury as he could possibly, and

came into the young Queen's room with his dagger in his

hand. He would not, however, surprise her, but told her,

with a great deal of respect, the orders he had received

from the Queen-mother.

"Do it; do it" (said she, stretching out her neck).

"Execute your orders, and then I shall go and see my

children, my poor children, whom I so much and so

tenderly loved."

For she thought them dead ever since they had been

taken away without her knowledge.

"No, no, madam" (cried the poor clerk of the kitchen,

all in tears); "you shall not die, and yet you shall see your

children again; but then you must go home with me to

my lodgings, where I have concealed them, and I shall

deceive the Queen once more, by giving her in your stead

a young hind."

Upon this he forthwith conducted her to his chamber,

where, leaving her to embrace her children, and cry along

with them, he went and dressed a young hind, which the

Queen had for her supper, and devoured it with the same

appetite as if it had been the young Queen. Exceedingly

was she delighted with her cruelty, and she had invented

a story to tell the King, at his return, how the mad

wolves had eaten up the Queen his wife and her two

children.

One evening, as she was, according to her custom,

rambling round about the courts and yards of the palace

to see if she could smell any fresh meat, she heard, in a

ground room, little Day crying, for his mamma was going

to whip him, because he had been naughty; and she

heard, at the same time, little Morning begging pardon

for her brother.

The Ogress presently knew the voice of the Queen and

her children, and being quite mad that she had been thus

deceived, she commanded next morning, by break of day

(with a most horrible voice, which made everybody tremble),

that they should bring into the middle of the great

court a large tub, which she caused to be filled with toads,

vipers, snakes, and all sorts of serpents, in order to have

thrown into it the Queen and her children, the clerk of the

kitchen, his wife and maid; all whom she had given orders

should be brought thither with their hands tied behind

them.

They were brought out accordingly, and the executioners

were just going to throw them into the tub, when the

King (who was not so soon expected) entered the court on

horseback (for he came post) and asked, with the utmost

astonishment, what was the meaning of that horrible

spectacle.

No one dared to tell him, when the Ogress, all enraged

to see what had happened, threw herself head foremost

into the tub, and was instantly devoured by the ugly

creatures she had ordered to be thrown into it for others.

The King could not but be very sorry, for she was his

mother; but he soon comforted himself with his beautiful

wife and his pretty children.